This project investigates Singapore’s ecological history through a focus on land-use change (e.g. deforestation, plantation spread, and urbanization), extreme weather events, and malaria epidemics. We employ digital humanities methods and feature newly digitized historical source materials (such as historical maps and data on rainfall, etc.) to visualize often drastic environmental transformations over time. Methodologically, we created and incorporated these georeferenced GIS layers into our platforms in order to enable overlay analysis of spatiotemporal correlations between land-use change, the impact of extreme weather, and mosquito-borne malaria epidemics. These topics are also discussed in three related scrollymaps compiled by our project team. Our digital methodology therefore supports interdisciplinary research involving humanists, social scientists, biologists, and epidemiologists, which is already encouraged through our research team and is further facilitated by us making our layers available for download and incorporation into future projects; enable the GIS-based multi-layered and commented visualization of important historical sources of Singapore’s ecological history; innovate teaching in the digital and environmental humanities; facilitate outreach to user communities from academia and the interested public; and strengthen institutional ties with content providers, such as Singapore’s National Library Board.

The “Singapore Ecological History Maps” are now publicly accessible at NUS Libraries’ website. Our project features about 60 GIS layers based on historical maps that illustrate land-use changes, rainfall and extreme weather events, and malaria epidemics in Singapore during the 19th and 20th centuries. It also includes three thematic story maps on these topics. Layers are available for download and public use here. To access the interactive project website, please click here.