A Guide toChemperai Trail at
the MacRitchie Boardwalks

Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

Twin barred Tree Snake

Surrounded by more than 500ha of primary andsecondary forests in the Catchment Nature Reserve,
MacRitchie Reservoir is Singapore's oldest reservoir.

Chemperai Trail is an easy and relaxing walk as it ismostly on boardwalk from start to finish, skirting theedge of the reservoir. It starts at the side of one of themany charming and elegant historic pavilions on thewaters of the reservoir. This area is part of the original
MacRitchie Reservoir that was constructed in 1867.
To get to the trail from the amenities centre, headtowards your left and get on the footpath that runs along
the edge of the reservoir. Follow this footpath until you
reach point A (see map). A short path cutting throughthe forested area leads you to the start of the trail.
Tread softly. Talk quietly. Look out for the occasional
Clouded Monitor Lizard or Green crested lizard,
camouflaged against the gnarled trunks of trees orscurrying across your path. Try to spot dragonflies above
the water and resident birds like the Collared Kingfisherand White-throated Kingfisher near the water’s edges.
Amidst the tree canopies, you might be able to catch
glimpses of the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo, Pinknecked Green Pigeon and even a Banded Woodpecker.
As you walk on this trail, you will notice a thickcarpet of fallen leaves, flowers, fruits, twigs andeven a fallen or chopped down log or two. In time,these will disintegrate and be broken down, and theirnutrients recycled and reused by other forest plants.
Fungi and tiny insects, like the termites, help in thisprocess. This ongoing cycle is dependant on every twig,
branch and dead leaf. It is important that we do notremove anything from this forest, as this will upset
the continuous nutrient flow within the rainforest.

Long-tailed MacaqueBanded Woodpecker

Ixora congesta

White-bellied Fish Eagle

White-throated Kingfisher

Buttress

MacRitchie's rainforests
Most of MacRitchie is covered withsecondary forest tree species but it still
nurtures some of the last precious patchesof primary rainforests in Singapore. Native
species, like Gaharu (Aquilaria malaccensis)
and Sterculia species, are part of this lush
habitat. The presence of non-native tree
species like rubber trees and Jambu Ayer
– signs of past disturbance - in no way
detracts from the majesty of the pristine
forest ecosystem that once covered thewhole island of Singapore in the 1800s.
The rainforests today house precious habitats
for a vast array of flora and fauna. Humanactivities, such as poaching and pollution,
upset the balance and wellbeing of thesehabitats. Let’s do our part to minimize
disturbances to the rainforests by avoiding
such activities. In doing so, we are helping toconserve this rich biodiversity, our ecological
heritage, for future generations.

DistanceWalking time: 1.5km: About 1/2 hour

Pet aling
Trail

Singapore IslandCountry ClubIsland Country Road
Venus Drive

TreeTop Walk
Peirce TrackUppePetaling
HutHighlights• An easy walk skirting the edge of thereservoir – suitable for families withyoung children

Sime Trilg Tra
ntanereTa ckhomson Ro

adPrunus Trail

Terap Hut

Jelutong Tower• Easy spotting of thriving dragonfly anddamselfly communities

rTie NatureMacRitch

Tr ail• A close encounter with interesting trees
and plants along the trail

St Theresa'sHome• Panoramic views of the reservoir against
the backdrop of dense rainforest

MacRitchie Reservoir

Singapore IslandCountry ClubHow to get to MacRitchie ParkLornie Trailring

Tra
ilBy Bus:Take bus no. 52, 74, 93, 130, 132, 156, 157, 162, 165,166, 167, 852, 855 or 980. Alight along Lornie Road at
the bus-stop in front of MacRitchie Reservoir Park.

JenL orBy car:
The entrance to the MacRitchie Reservoir Park car parkis along Lornie Road.

ie Ro adChemperai Trail
Petai Trail

SimeRoa

RangerStation

Shelter

Refreshment

ToiletPublicPhone

Point AdFitness
CornerFishing
AreaCar ParkBus Stop

Boardwalk

No Entry

Mapboard

What you can see on this trail

121

Dragonflies and damselflies
You will notice them flitting above the waters.
How do you tell the difference? Dragonflies areusually larger and fly well away from the water
surface. They have huge eyes. When at rest, theyhold their wings outstretched, often at rightangles to their bodies. You can see that theirforewings and hindwings are shaped differently.
Damselflies are smaller and stay near thewater surface. They hold their wings close to
their slim bodies when they are at rest.
Dragonflies and damselflies are extremely sensitive
to polluted water and are able to thrive only inclean water. At the same time, the dragonfly anddamselfly nymphs feed on mosquito larvae in thewater. To help conserve the survival of these insects,
it is crucial that we avoid polluting the water with
our litter or releasing animals into the water.
2Red leaves
Why are the leaves of some trees hanging over
the water red? This is actually a sun shielding
mechanism - the red pigments protect leaves fromlight damage by directly shielding the more delicate
chlorophyll molecules. By acting as antioxidants,
they protect the plant from permanent damage.

These non-green pigments serve a numberof other functions. For one, they assist in thephotosynthesis process. Studies also indicate thatthe red colour of young leaves in some tropicaltrees wards off animals that might eat them.
Upon maturity, these leaves rapidly turn green.
3

Butterfly Climber (Bauhinia sembifida)3

You will notice a plant with pretty leaves
hanging delicately over the water. This is theButterfly Climber. Each half of the leaf of thisplant is a mirror image of the other. By night,apparently, these leaves will close up to rest
but as soon as dawn breaks, they will unfold
once again to greet the morning sun.
4Sea Apple tree (Syzygium grande)
The leaning tree of Chemperai Trail is actually theJambu Laut or Sea Apple tree. Originally a coastal
tree of this region, it is now found commonly along
the wayside. The tree may reach 30 metres andhas an oblong to irregular crown. The flowers arewhite, in compact clusters, and have a strong sickly
fragrance. This is a really pretty spot for a picture!

4Pink-neck Pigeon

65

Wild ixora (Ixora congesta)
The wild ixora attracts many butterflies. This
plant, which blooms seasonally with clusters ofbright orange-red flowers, adds splashes of colour
to the greenery.
The Banded Imperial and Common Grass Yellow are
two of the more common butterfly species you canfind at this reservoir.
6Chemperai tree (Champereia manillana)
The Chemperai tree or the Olive of the East is asmall tree. It is not related to the Mediterraneanolive but because there is a resemblance, it is often
known as the False Olive or the Olive of the East.
7

Licuala palm (Licuala ferruginea)
This prominent fan palm stands out with its
beautiful wedge-shaped fronds radiating from theground on long stalks.
Given the strikingly beautiful neatly-pleated leafletsof the Licuala, many Licuala species from thetropics make beautiful ornamental plants at home.

8

Calophyllum tree
(Calophyllum lanigerum var.
austrocoriaceum)
Nature had its own dispensary of medicines
long before modern medicine was born. This
Calophyllum tree has a compound from its
dried fruits and twigs that form the basisof new pharmaceutical drugs and naturalingredients for cosmetics. This compound isalso known to have anti-AIDS properties.
9Buttress roots
Notice the roots of some large trees above theground. These are buttress roots – thick roots thatflare out from the base of tall or shallowly rootedtrees. Typically they are found in rainforests wheresoils are poor so roots do not go very deep. Theseroots prevent the tree from falling over (hence thename buttress) and help to gather more nutrients.
They are there to anchor the tree and soak minerals
and nutrients from the ground.

We hope you enjoyed your walk on thistrail. For another intimate encounter
with flora and fauna in MacRitchie’s
rainforests, embark on Prunus Trail at
The MacRitchie Boardwalks.
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