Geography in Everyday LIfe Topic 1

GEOG TOPIC 1 1.1 PEOPLE & NATURE IN NEIGHBOURHOODS Key Points: ● Local communities & nature = dependent on each other ● Nature → benefits people: recreation, space, ↓ temp ● People → benefits nature: env. protection, community activities ● Nature → disadvantages people: wildlife harm, env. protection limits development ● People → disadvantages nature: soil erosion, damaged vegetation What is the relationship between people and nature? 1. Local communities & nearby nature = dependent on each other ● Nature → air & water for survival ● Nature → recreation/leisure spaces → bond w/ family/friends → physical + mental well-being ● Bees pollinate crops → continuous food supply ● Eg: NParks Therapeutic Gardens — ↓ stress, ↑ well-being ● Eg: NParks Green Wave campaign (May, biodiversity day for schools) Concepts: Community = group w/ sense of belonging to place. Nature area = untouched/barely affected by humans How do people & nature bring benefits to each other? 1. Nature → people: ↓ temp / removes pollutants / recreation space ↓ Air temp Remove pollutants Recreation space Vegetation → evapotranspiration + shade Leaves intercept particles → washed down by rain Outdoor activity opportunities Wetland plants trap materials, absorb nutrients → ↑ water quality Absorbs CO ₂ , releases O ₂ Direct contact w/ nature → ↓ illness severity

2. People → nature: community protection efforts ● Eg: NParks Dragonfly Watch — train volunteers to ID species ● Eg: Waterways Watch Society — clean-up @ Marina Reservoir What are the disadvantages people & nature bring to each other? 1. People → nature: soil erosion, damaged vegetation, pollution, disturbed wildlife ● Trampling → soil compaction → ↑ runoff → ↓ infiltration → erosion ● Littering → wildlife entangled/eats litter ● Eg: 2014 Bukit Timah Nature Reserve — severe erosion → closed 2 yrs 2. Nature → people: wildlife harm; env. protection limits development ● Eg: Cross Island MRT Line — built under (not through) Central Catchment Nature Reserve → protects rainforest BUT residents fear home damage Reasons for ↑ human-wildlife encounters Urban expansion ↑ interest in outdoor recreation State greening efforts Habitat shrinks → wildlife venture out for food/shelter More time in nature areas SG deliberately brings nature back into city ● Feeding wildlife illegal → fine up to $5,000 ● Wildlife confused/fearful in urban spaces → ↑ attacks when provoked/venture into unfamiliar spaces 1.2 SENSE OF PLACE IN NEIGHBOURHOODS Key Points: ● Sense of place = importance/meanings/memories assoc. w/ locations ● Acquired via experiences w/ natural & built environments + interactions ● Can be enhanced or contradicted by representations What is a sense of place? ● Developed when people associate meanings & memories w/ locations ● Reflects relationship w/ places → helps understand self & others ● Derived from experiences + interactions w/ natural/built environments

● Highly personal & subjective ● Same location = different meanings for different people (needs/lifestyle) ● Eg: Homemakers → hawker centres (convenience/variety) ● Eg: Retirees → hawker centres (leisure, meet friends) Gathering places = spaces where people congregate/interact Media = entertainment→news; traditional (TV) → new (social media) Concepts: Meanings = ideas assoc. w/ location. Memories = experiences remembered. Built environment = design/config of roads, structures, spaces. Landmarks = structures w/ distinguishing features, easily recognised How do people acquire a sense of place? 1. Repeated encounters w/ objects & people → vivid memories ● Eg: East Coast Parkway — scenic route home from airport 2. Significant/memorable events @ landmarks & gathering places ● Landmarks = public symbols of community response to tragedy / symbolic-historical purpose ● Eg: Truss Bridges, Bukit Timah (built 1932, railway) → memories/photos ● Gathering places → events create sense of place ● Eg: Anfield memorial — Liverpool FC, Hillsborough disaster (1989) How is sense of place represented? ● Represented through different forms/types of media ● Reflects personal/collective sense of place ● Shared via print & internet-based media ● Eg: #sgmemory hashtag — Instagram users share photos → collective SG sense of place How may representations enhance or contradict sense of place? Enhance: ● Add new layers of meaning by revealing interesting info ● Eg: website on Beaulieu House history (Sembawang) ● Train stations/interchanges near each other → convenience switching transport Contradict: ● Respond defensively to distortions/untruths ● Eg: negative portrayal of Yishun (rats/crime) → Nee Soon Town Council shares stats to show Yishun = like any town ● Eg: Jurong Lake Gardens → music arena ( NParks Rockestra® ) → memorable place

1.3 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOCATIONS IN A NEIGHBOURHOOD Key Points: ● Regions classified by environmental/human characteristics ● Relationship between locations shown via spatial patterns & associations What are regions? = area w/ similar physical and/or human characteristics; vary in size Classified by: environmental / human characteristics / geographical location Environmental Human characteristics Geographical location Eg: Little Guilin (nature region) Eg: Jurong Town — commercial (W/S) vs residential (E/N) Eg: Bukit Batok — West (public housing) vs East (private/condo) What are spatial patterns? = non-random arrangements — shapes, clusters, geometry, repeated occurrences ● Helps us understand world around us ● Shown on maps via points, lines, polygons ● Eg: Circle Line train stations → resemble oval ( geometry ) ● Eg: heavy industry clustered west SG — Tuas & Pioneer ( cluster ) ● Eg: bus stops ~ 400m apart ( regular intervals ) What are spatial associations? = [tendency] of pair of services/events/objects to locate near each other → connection between: service/event/object ↔ another service/event/object ● Eg: lifts & staircases next to each other in HDB

● Eg: train stations & bus interchanges near each other → ↓ travel time ● Eg: fitness centres near elderly estates → easy access Concepts: Influence = effect causing sig. change. Non-random = unequal probability of occurrence. Cluster = similar objects close together. Geometry = shape/spatial config. Tendency = inclination towards outcome Spheres of influence = effect of services/events/objects on OTHER locations in area (non-random; region boundaries largely absent) ● Eg: Bishan bus interchange + train station → convenient for visitors ● Eg: convenience → attracts businesses to locate offices nearby ● Eg: Punggol Town Square, Festive Plaza @ Our Tampines Hub → regular community activities 1.4 ORGANISATION OF NEIGHBOURHOODS IN SINGAPORE Key Points: ● Spatial scales = nested areas of diff. sizes, from residential unit ● How neighbourhoods organised in SG What