Tropicana November-December 2023 #151 The Holiday Issue

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 PROPERTY
TROPICANA PIONEERS
DRAGONFLY ENVIRONMENTAL
PROJECT IN MALAYSIA
From top left: More than 16 aquatic and non-aquatic plantings foster a conducive environment; The Dragonfly Pond is representative of Tropicana’s ESG initiatives Yew Kong
Chee, Executive Director, Credit Admin & Resort Management, Tropicana (4rd left); Serena Lim, Senior General Manager, Group Corporate & Marketing Communications (1st
left); Ravindran Varnagopal, General Manager, Resort Management, Tropicana Golf & Country Resort (3rd left); Jimmy Khoo, Deputy General Manager, Planning & Design,
Tropicana (6th left); Mohd Suriga Sachari, Senior Manager, Horticulture (2nd left); and Assoc Prof Dr Choong Chee Yen, Researcher, UKM (5th left)
34
Established in September 2021, the pioneering Dragonfly Pond
at Tropicana Golf & Country Resort (“TGCR”) by Tropicana is a
resounding success, drawing 14 dragonfly and damselfly species
to the flagship resort. The initiative is a collaboration with
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (“UKM”) researcher Assoc Prof
Dr Choong Chee Yen in our united aim to control pest populations
while fostering biodiversity onsite.
The Dragonfly Pond underscores the Group’s commitment
to environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) principles
throughout its planning, design and operation of its developments.
Dion Tan, Group Managing Director, Tropicana shared more on
the initiative. “As a responsible community builder, Tropicana
Group has practised sustainability across its signature master
developments since its inception. The Dragonfly Pond project is a
testament to this drive, embodying our ESG DNA of People, Planet
and Partnership as we accelerate our sustainability journey in line
with the evolving social and regulatory environment,” he said.
Tackling the perennial issue of pest populations in landscaped
areas, the Dragonfly Pond saw the introduction of 88 Tramea
transmarina (Saddlebag Glider) dragonfly larvae into TGCR.
Growing to maturity, these dragonflies feed on mosquito and
other pests, serving as a natural control mechanism with a
hunting efficiency rate of up to 95%.
Natural controls such as dragonflies, birds, bats and minnows
enhance the biodiversity in a given site, in line with ESG principles.
They also avoid the introduction of chemical or bacterial agents
into the site’s existing ecosystem, seen in conventional controls
such as pest fogging and mosquito dunks utilising targeted
bacteria such as Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis to control larvae
populations.
“Following the introduction of the Saddlebag Glider larvae
in 2021, subsequent observations have found them breeding
successfully, with 13 additional species of dragonflies and
damselflies extant at the pond. These include species such as Blue
Dashers, Common Flangetails, Crimson Dropwings, Variegated
Green Skimmers, White-barred Duskhawks, Sultans, Yellowbarred
Flutterers, Scarlet Skimmers, Blue Adjutants, Chinese
Greenwings, Common Bluetails, Blue Sprites and Variable Wisps.
This indicates the creation of a healthy ecosystem, enriching the
dragonfly population onsite and multiplying the effectiveness of
the project’s natural control mechanism,” said Dr Choong.
The Dragonfly Pond’s success is complemented by the mindful
planting of more than 16 aquatic and non-aquatic flora species,
fostering a conducive environment for site fauna as well as
visitors. These include sedges and reeds such as Lepironia
articulata and papyrus to provide perches for the dragonflies, as
well as frangipani, variegated jasmine and more.
TGCR’s Dragonfly Pond complements the Group’s ongoing ESG
initiatives, including a solar panel system at the resort, windmillpowered
biofiltration at Tropicana Metropark’s 4.4-acre lake in
Subang Jaya, and native khaya, rain and flametree conservation
in Tropicana Heights.