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News about nature and the environment in Singapore - ArchivesList of Categories : about * animalwelfare * articles * books * coastalcleanup * cycling * education * envt * errata * events * heritage * internet * malaysia * marine * nature * news * parliament * photos * research * software * stamps * talks * trade * tvradio * world * jobs * conceptplan * cameratraps * map * Fri 29 Oct 2004 Axing trees may lead to higher finesCategory : news "Axe trees illegally? Bigger fine likely." By Alexis Hooi, The Straits Times, 27 Oct 2004 [pdf].
"A new law being considered in Parliament proposes to raise the maximum fine for those who cut down trees marked for conservation from $10,000 to $50,000.
The move comes in the wake of a rise last year in the number of protected trees illegally cut down. A spokesman for the National Development Ministry on Monday said 28 trees were illegally felled last year, up from 17 in 2002. Most of the offenders were contractors and developers, added the spokesman."
Interstingly, I read this as I was leaving for a workshop to teach students about the Hopea sangal - the extinct tree that was rediscovered in September 2002 and felled in November 2002. The culprit was fined $8,000 for the offense and paid the state $76,035 for the value of the tree.
The presiding District Judge Kow Keng Siong in his court ruling stated "Unfortunately, having weathered more than a century of the forces of nature, it was not able to survive the senseless act of man."
See the Hopea sangal timeline for details. |
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