World Bamboo Resources

Bamboo -- a major non-wood forest product -- is an ancient woody grass widely distributed in tropical, subtropical and mild temperate zones. It is an integral part of forestry, but is also widely spread outside forests, including farmlands, riverbanks, roadsides and urban areas. Bamboo is quickly changing its image from the "poor man's tree" to a high-tech, industrial raw material and substitute for wood. This study, prepared by FAO jointly with the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan, is an initiative to incorporate bamboo into the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) program. A total of 22 countries responded to the FAO/INBAR call for information and submitted national reports. Although data availability and quality are often weak, the main value of the study is that it has established a systematic methodology and has launched the most comprehensive assessment of global bamboo resources to date.--Publisher's description.

Bamboo is a plant that occurs over much of the World. It is probable that billions of the World’s population see, eat and touch bamboo every day. Bamboo contributes significantly to the income generation of many poor farmers. Yet it is an “orphan” crop – largely ignored by the main landholding agencies – forestry and agriculture. This volume contains most of the papers presented at the joint Fifthth International Bamboo Congress and Sixth International Bamboo Workshop held in San José, Costa Rica, 1998, organized by the International Bamboo Association (IBA) and INBAR. The book is divided into four parts: Bamboo Resources and Socio-economics; Bamboo Propagation and Management; Bamboo Engineering and Construction; Bamboo Design and Utilization. The topics covered include varied aspects of bamboo, such as: from bamboo resources of Mexico to bamboos of Ethiopia; from bamboo afforestation of a mined area to bamboo as a food and fiber alternative in an island; from bamboo drippers to bamboo wheelchairs; from teaching architecture with bamboo to an international building code for bamboo; from silviculture of Guadua bamboo to flowering of Moso bamboo; and many more. This publication serves to highlight the usefulness of bamboo in aiding developing countries in their sustainable social, economic and environmental development.

This new book presents an abundance of important information and case studies that deal with bamboo farming and its effects from and on climate change adaptation and mitigation. There is a lack of research on the role of bamboo in climate change adaptation and mitigation; this volume helps to fill that gap by providing information that will enable policymakers to consider bamboo farming and its implications in carbon trading. Bamboo represents one of the world’s highest yielding renewable natural resources and is an important source of non-timber forest products for subsistence use as well as for materials with many commercial and industrial uses. There are over 1500 documented applications of bamboo products, including materials for bridges, construction, furniture, agricultural tools, handicrafts, papers, textiles, boards, edible, and bioenergy applications. With their fast growth rate and rapid propagation, bamboo forests have a high C storage potential, especially when the harvested culms are transformed into durable products and thereby prolonging the C storage. Environmentalists love bamboo for its quick growth and for the fact that it can be harvested without harming the environment. This volume is a rich resource on the role of bamboo in ecological farming and climate change mitigation. Key features of the book include: • Explores the role of bamboo on climate change and environment and ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change • Considers overlooked bamboo biomass resources • Explains carbon capture and storage potential in bamboo • Assesses opportunities for carbon farming and carbon trading in bamboo • Looks at the role on bamboo cultivation on the livelihood of rural populations • Details the soil properties needed for bamboo-based agroforestry systems

This book entitled Bamboo: The Timber of the 21st Century assessed comprehensively the local supply situation of bamboo and provides key marketing information from primary and secondary sources. Scope includes industries using bamboo as raw material, bamboo species and bamboo resources in various regions of the Philippines, estimated area with bamboo stands, the extent of bamboo forest area, and bamboo master plan, among others. Insights about the international market were obtained from personal interviews with experts. Moreover, several barriers were identified. Furthermore, It is a comprehensive assessment of the state of the bamboo industry and how it can transform itself to be the timber of the 21st century. It concerns itself with providing a roadmap for the government and the private sector in revolutionizing the bamboo sector of the country. It is therefore directed first and foremost to policymakers responsible for the future of the industry. It also serves as a briefing paper for everyone else interested in the logic of the bamboo industry. Conrado S. Perreras is an economist by training, a marketer by profession, and an entrepreneur by choice. An advocate for life in protecting and preserving the environment, overall wellness, and good governance, Perreras is dubbed as "The Bamboo Warrior" of the Philippines. He wrote this book for business people and entrepreneurs wanting to get into the business of bamboo: establishing nurseries, developing plantations, harvesting, and processing of bamboo into handicrafts, furniture, and most especially engineered bamboo products where the future of the industry belongs. It is a roadmap that describes where we are and where we are going, how we will get there, how much it will cost, and who is responsible for making things happen.

Bamboo is an important non wood forest product. In India, bamboo, which is traditionally considered the Poor man wood, and labelled as Green Gold is being considered a major export item by the centre for the global market. Bamboo is perfectly suited to agro forestry as a woody grass. Bamboo has been exploited from natural stands from time immemorial. Bamboo is increasingly being cultivated like other agricultural crops, that is, in professionally managed plantations. The growth of industries utilizing bamboo requires the sustainable cultivation and management of bamboo resources. India is blessed with very rich bamboo resources. Bamboo can play an important role in raising forest cover and a major role in stabilization of the environmental problems. The annual yield in tonnes/ha depends on the environment as well as the species. It is estimated that almost 25% of the biomass in the tropics and 20% in the subtropics, come from bamboo. The cultivation of bamboo as a wood substitute helps to offset depletion of the rain forest. Its rapid growth ensures an effective reconstruction of damaged eco systems. Bamboo is one of many sustainable non wood resources that can generate income for a large forest dependent rural population and it needs to take further steps to realize its full potential. In India, the North East has the largest stock and diversity of bamboos. Though India has the largest area under bamboo, the yield per hectare is very low compared to other countries. Bamboo plantation rising should be encouraged & promoted due to their high value, productivity, uniformity of crop, choice of species linked to peoples’ need and industrial need. Bamboo forest constitutes about 13% of the total forest area of the country. About 50% of bamboo produced in India grows in North Eastern region and West Bengal. India has the second largest bamboo reserves in the world after China. This book basically deals with bamboos in India, the bamboo plant harvesting, cultivating, silviculture and management, collection of material and preparation of cuttings treatment for root induction in cuttings, preparation of nursery and planting nursery management transplanting, pattern of biomass allocation in growing bambusa bamboos, biochemical characteristics of plantation bamboo leaf (bambusa bambos) with reference to organic productivity, economic analysis, bamboo plantation, problems and prospects, need for bamboo plantation, consumption pattern of bamboos in India, working and finishing qualities of bamboo, bamboos for structural use, pipe water supply system and drainage, bamboo furniture weaving industry etc. This book provides a complete detail on Bamboo plantation and its utilization. This book contains chapters like types of bamboo in India, taxonomy, cultivation, harvesting, growth management, bamboo utilization, Bamboo products and many more. This book will be very helpful to all its readers, environmentalists, agronomists, entrepreneurs, industrialists, or anyone with a special interest in bamboo cultivation.

The idea of information on research and development carried out on bamboo has emerged with the paradigm shift in the area of utilization of natural fibres in various industries. Technological advancements in bamboo sustenance have involved chemical and physical modification that has led to products of high-performance index. This book provides the latest research developments in many aspects of bamboo process, manufacture and commercialization potential. Apart from the interest to facilitate a complete assessment of bamboo as well as assist readers in achieving their goals, this book is intended to be of value to both fundamental research and also to practicing scientists and will serve as a useful reference for researchers, agricultural practitioners and organizations involved in the bamboo-based industry.

This book presents the state-of-the-art knowledge on bamboo. It starts with an introduction to the plant’s biology, its taxonomy, habitat, morphology and growth. The cultivation of bamboo is discussed in terms of silviculture, pests and diseases, and harvesting techniques. The book is completed by a comprehensive presentation of the properties of bamboo, its utilization and its preservation. Bamboo is the fastest-growing and most versatile plant on Earth. For centuries it has played an indispensible part in the daily life of millions of people in tropical countries. In recent decades it has gained increasing importance as a substitute for timber. The book was developed as a reference text for scientists, professionals, and graduate students with a strong interest in this unique plant.

This book presents over 40 cases of bamboo development across 22 major bamboo-industry countries and explores the knowledge gained from their successes and failures. It synthesises experiences and exchanges with country experts from international training courses and consultations, study tours, and seminars. Each case includes observations and summaries of discussions related to the development of bamboo-based industries in a healthy, sustainable way, and the facilitation of strategic and balanced development of bamboo in different global regions. Industrial and artisanal bamboo growing and processing is expanding worldwide and this book brings together key experiences to help inform future developments. This book provides an analysis of bamboo plant features, including strong renewability, fast-growing, and high biomass production. It also reviews important ecological functions of bamboos, such as water and soil conservation, carbon sink and storage, and adaptation to climate change, as well as addressing the diversified culture of bamboo and key issues affecting the sector. Highly illustrated and in full colour throughout, this book is an essential resource for all those interested in bamboo, from private sector investors to governmental and development agencies, academic researchers and students.