The beginning of the Dover Forest transformation 

In October 2022, there were news releases/coverage on the upcoming development of Dover Forest on Straits Times (ST) and Channel News Asia (CNA) news. There would be around 3,000 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats to be built in the eastern half of Dover Forest. This project was launched in November 2023, groundwork has now begun with boards coming up, fencing up around the Dover Forest West in January 2023, the beginning of Dover Forest transformation has begun.

Dover Forest West will soon be cleared for its upcoming BTO flats development, it’s the beginning of the Dover Forest transformation. 

Exploring Dover Forest with the Canon EOS R10

Before I went I went on a guided tour led by Chua Chin Tat to explore Dover Forest in October 2022 with the Canon EOS R10 that I had for review at the time. I was continuing on from my earlier documentation of Dover Forest with the Canon EOS R7 camera in August 2022. 

Chin Tat had been a strong advocate to preserve, protect, conserve and document Dover Forest. When I went for the guided tour led by Chin Tat, I learnt more about the history, nature and wildlife of Dover Forest. This may not be a big green space, however it has grown and transformed into a green space for wildlife, it’s also a green belt in our heavily built-up urban landscapes. 

Inside Dover Forest, we can spot former remnants of a kampung (a.k.a. village) that used to be there. In the very near future, they will be gone forever from our physical environment, maybe we can view them in a digital environment. 

If you take into consideration that Dover Forest is a secondary forest, that is not too big land size, tucked in between some pretty heavy built-up urban housing, schools and transport nodes. The forest, the tall trees, canopy, and wildlife residing in Dover Forest, is quite rich and diverse. 

Here’s a bird’s eye view of Dover Forest, some folks have commented that this looks like Central Park in New York City. What would this view be like when the BTO project is completed?  

Dover Forest Exploration and Documentation Collection

More photographs of my Dover Forest exploration and documentation collection can be found inside my Flickr album – Dover Forest/Clementi Nature Trail. 

In the coming years as part of Dover Forest transformed into a public housing estate, I would continue to document and update the changes of both public housing landscape (Dover Forest West) and the other remaining green belt (Dover Forest East) and the Clementi Nature Trail. 

Balancing a country’s growth and national development versus protecting and preserving green nature spaces in Singapore can be a very delicate and tricky situation for people on both sides of development/growth and preservation/conservation. 

Just another of my ongoing small and humble efforts to photograph and document old places and changing/disappearing landscapes in Singapore with my visual stories, photographs and videos. My humble Dover Forest exploration and documentation collection, I hope my works can play a small role and contribution, and I would continue to photograph and document, whenever I am able to.

If you like to know and understand more about Dover Forest, please visit https://doverforest.sg that is created and maintained by Chua Chin Tat. 

* A TGH Photography x Canon EOS R10 Explorer Series Production * 

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Time to finish up my photography zine  

I started working on my second photography zine some months back around June/July 2021. That was a work-in-progress, there were delays, distractions on my part, facing writer’s block and no creative breakthrough. 

As I was reorganising and replanning my works for my run-in during the final month of the year 2021, I told myself, it’s time to finish up my second photography zine and getting it ready for the zine/book launch in January 2022. My theme for my second zine revolves around nature therapy, great outdoors and photography therapy, thus I am returning to nature and great outdoors.

Return to Nature and Great Outdoors

Most recently, I went on two treks to the Old Jurong Line / Sungei Ulu Pandan Park Connector, I brought 2 different groups of friends there. Time to work on my Old Jurong Park Connector article. Not only have I rekindled my passion for trekking, enjoying and relaxing, I am also chasing sunsets, they can be pretty dramatic and epic at this time of the year.

What I want to do and where I want to explore/trek in December 2021

• Bring like-minded friends on treks, returning back to the days when I used to lead photo walks previously
• Go with like minded trekkers to explore more nature and outdoors 
• Bird photography at Sungei Buloh 
• Old Jurong Line / Clementi Forest / Dover Forest exploration and documentation for my article 
• Jenal Jetty / Rower’s Bay / Yishun Dam / Seletar district 
• Mt Faber and Labrador Park (history documentation)
• Chestnut Nature Park (continue my nature exploration)
• More places to be added at a later time

Some of those destinations would most likely have extended trekking adventures in order for me to have a more extensive photography documentation and exploration. 

How should I go forward with writing and sharing my trekking adventure stories?

Although I have been writing regularly on my trekking adventure stories, I am considering different approaches on how to go about doing it, how much information and photos to share. 

Should I consider the following points below:

• Go on travel/trekking writing approach from point A to Point B with route map added, directions etc? 
• Consolidate and update my previous trekking/exploration adventures e.g. The Green Corridor, Old Jurong KTM Railway Line?
• Input more history behind my trekking adventures whereby there is a bit of history behind those places?
• Should I do a coverage on Singapore’s many Park Connector Networks (PCN) routes?

It’s a food for thought, any new approaches to my trekking adventure stories would probably start in Q1 2022. Stay tuned!

Keep on trekking, keep on exploring

As the Chinese saying goes, “千里之行, 始于足下“, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. I want and I have to keep on trekking, keep on exploring, not just in my photography (both business and personal), my travels, my other business developments and also in my personal life too.

Sometimes, I have to walk alone. 

Sometimes, You’ll Never Walk Alone.

The post December 2021 – Return to Nature and Great Outdoors appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

Passing by this road in the Southern part of Singapore for a fair number of decades, the lush greenery forest were pretty much left untouched. This part of Mt Faber has always been a landmark of significance and importance, from her high point overlooking part of the Singapore harbour, giving directions and signals to the ships entering into Singapore’s harbour. Although Mt Faber wasn’t able to grab the headlines and publicity like her neighbours Sentosa Island and Vivo City, Mt Faber played an important role.

Near the foot of Mt Faber, Keppel Hill Reservoir, was an abandoned reservoir that was discovered in September 2014 by National Heritage Board (NHB). There were news coverage on Today Online and Straits Times. Most recently in May 2019, they were news reporting on regular heritage tours being organised by My Community to visit Keppel Hill Reservoir on Mt Faber. And Sentosa. The two news articles gave a good summary of the history behind Keppel Hill Reservoir.

In between 2014 and 2019, there were a number of articles and coverage on Keppel Hill Reservoir, visiting, exploring and photographing them. Looking back, I was kind of late in visiting this lost world that I like to call it. During that past few years, my photography stories coverage were pretty widespread, thus I wasn’t able to do so. I have to confess that I do miss my exploring days with my camera, backpack and hiking boots, whether it was old places or the nature areas.

Upon arrival at the Keppel Hill Reservoir, I stood in awe, admiring the lush natural beauty and tranquility of this abdandoned reservoir. The birds were singing in their beautiful voice, the kingfishers were fishing from the other end of the reservoir. The afternoon sun rays were shining through the thick forest canopy and onto the water, while we were sheltered from it at the other end.

Is this a lost world, how many more of such places do we still have in Singapore? How much do we know of our own roots and history? This year 2019 is Singapore Bicentennial year, have we search, ask more and learn about Singapore’s history, heritage and roots before the year 1819?

This is my ongoing Canon EOS RP Explorer Stories Series production, exploring and searching for roots, rootedness and home, in Singapore Bicentennial year.

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