Picture of the Semakau Landfill, after the rock bund between Pulau Semakau and Pulau Sakeng was built.

Pulau Semakau is a island located to the south of mainland Singapore. In 1999, when the Singapore faced a lack of land on the mainland for landfills, a rock bund was built between Pulau Semakau and Pulau Sakeng (an island adjacent to Pulau Semakau) to create the Semakau Landfill that covers a total of 3.5 square kilometres. In 2005, the island was opened to public and has since been frequently visited by people interested in the activities they can do there which include inter-tidal walks, star gazing, sportfishing, birding, and even cycling.

During the construction of the landfill, around 13 hectares of mangrove were uprooted. There have been efforts to restore the wildlife on the island. 13 hectares of mangroves were replanted and despite being the site of Singapore’s landfill, the island’s amazing wildlife still remains and features a rich diversity of organisms ranging from mangroves to corals.

The theme for our blog will be adaptation.