Increasing public awareness of the IAS problem can be done through educating the public about IAS through talks, information leaflets, web-blogs and books. Encouraging the public to share their knowledge about IAS can also be effective in increasing public awareness of the IAS problem.
An example of a public education program organized by NParks, “Operation No Release”, has been targeted at discouraging the release of animals into the wild during religious occasions. Lack of awareness of the impacts of such kind intentions in negatively affecting the biodiversity and even the water quality of reservoirs have caused many people to continuously release animals such as the Red-eared slider into the wild. To heighten public awareness about the adverse impacts on local biodiversity, NParks has coordinated various educational and public outreach efforts with AVA, Public Utilities Board (PUB), Nature Society (Singapore), students and various volunteer groups to distribute brochures and actively educating the public especially on Vesak Day. In addition to educating about the negative impacts, alternative ways of performing good deeds such as planting suitable native trees will also be suggested to the public, and this program has been successful in decreasing the number of animal releases.
The NParks has also actively involved the public in the management of IAS. An example of weed management program, “Operation Die Dioscorea”, involving students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic has been effective in significantly reducing the areas dominated by Dioscorea sansibarensis/ Zanibar yam. The Zanibar yam is a climbing plant that is capable of rapidly propagating itself through the dispersal of aerial bulbils and is capable of dominating and modifying of the whole ecosystem. Through continuous removal of underground bulbil growth throughout a period of 3 months, there has been significant reduction in the amount of Zanibar Yam in the affected areas.
Other IAS management approaches coordinated by NParks have also actively involved various schools, volunteers, public and private organizations by having them adopt patches of land. Through such adoption activities, it generates a sense of place identity and connection with nature among the public and also serves as an opportunity for students and the public to learn more about the IAS and the experience of managing an ecosystem.