Part 12/16:
The expansion of plantations led to extensive ecological changes. Forests were cleared to make way for Gambia, pepper, nutmeg, and coconut plantations. By the 1870s, approximately 90% of Singapore's primary forests had been felled—a massive ecological transformation driven by economic pursuits.
This deforestation displaced native ecosystems, including mangroves and forests vital to local biodiversity. The loss of native species, coupled with overharvesting of resources like gutapercha (a latex used in Victorian fashion and industry), contributed to ecological decline. Notably, gutapercha trees, once abundant, nearly vanished due to relentless extraction, with only one ancient specimen remaining today in the Botanic Gardens.