29 January 2018

Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey - marine survey!

I had an awesome day at Chek Jawa with volunteers doing a marine survey for the NParks Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey. We are using the methods and materials developed by NParks for their citizen science Intertidal Watch programme.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
What a great bunch of volunteers from all walks of life, who came together on a hot Monday afternoon for the field training session. And also on Saturday for the classroom training session. Today, we saw otters at Changi and at Chek Jawa, and wild jungle fowl too!


Here are some of the enthusiastic volunteers on the way to Pulau Ubin. We saw otters at Changi Creek!
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
First, a stop at the Ubin Volunteer Hub to soak in the aircon, and soak in the information about how to do the survey.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
Geok Yeng who leads the Intertidal Watch programme, quickly recaps the key steps, and emphasises safety issues.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
The team looks fresh and ready for action, as Alan takes a group photo. Thanks to Alan for making all the arrangements.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
Then it was off try out the survey on Chek Jawa.  We learn how to set up the lines. And not to step on other people's sampling sites.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
We are careful not to step into our own sampling site.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
To take a shadow-free photo of the quadrat, the rest of the team have to stand far away. And lean back, almost as if a bomb was about to explode from the quadrat...haha.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
Taking a photo of the data sheet just in case. There was a lot of counting of tubeworms and tiny hermit crabs, estimation of seagrass and seaweed cover, and pondering identification of all of them.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
It was hot work under the blazing sun, but we did it! Bravo!
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
Here's the rest of the teams are work on their lines.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
We really managed to cover quite a lot of ground in a short time.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
We ended taking the Long Cut, for a scenic view of Chek Jawa.
Chek Jawa boardwalk
Here's a video of the otters we saw today, and the jungle fowl and kingfisher too!
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey with otters


Two days beforehand, the volunteers also attended a classroom session. Here's Alan, who is leading on the marine component of the Ubin Comprehensive Survey, starting off the classroom session.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
We will be surveying Chek Jawa on the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
Then Geok Yeng gave a very thorough and easy-to-understand presentation of the methods and materials that we will be using.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
It looks complicated but it's not.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
We then tried out the methods outside on the floor.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
Experienced shore explorers such as Ivan Kwan helped to explain some trickier aspects of identification and surveying.
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey
We had lots of fun!
Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey

If you would like to join the Ubin Comprehensive Biodiversity Survey marine surveys, please contact Alan Tan ALAN_TAN@nparks.gov.sg

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