A. Why Choose Bamboo?
[Not many people know that bamboo is a giant grass. It is a perennial , woody-stemmed
grass known for its rapid growth and variety of uses. It has woody and usually hollow
culms with distinct nodes and internodes , rhizomes and branches.
Bamboo has spurred worldwide attention as a versatile plant with multifarious uses. Its uses ranged
from subsistence to commercial food (young shoots) , to building and furniture. It offers vital economic
and ecological benefits to many people in the world.
It is a plant found almost everywhere and is known for its rapid growth. A bamboo culm reaches its full height
in about 60-90 days. In three to five years, the culms are already matured and can already be harvested ,
depending on the intended uses.
Bamboo protects the environment and cleanse the air we breathe. Bamboo stands release 35% more oxygen
than equivalent stands of trees. Some bamboo can sequester up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide from the air
per hectare. It can also lower light intensity and protects man against ultraviolet rays.
Bamboo is a good soil conservation plant. With its widespread root system, it can provide an
effective erosion control. It sustains riverbanks and serves as good windbreaks.
Bamboo is a highly renewable material. There is no need to replant once the clump is already established.
It produces new shoots on an annual basis that develop depending on species, into erect culms reaching
30 m tall. In general, bamboo is vegetatively multiplied, using culm and branch sections that are induced to
sprout before transplanting to the field or by clump division which readily provide a good starter plant.
Bamboo is a good substitute for wood. A bamboo culm matures and develops strength properties
comparable to most wood species in about three years. Its utility has expanded to include its
transformation into various structural floors and panels and engineered bamboo products.
Bamboo shoots are good food source. It is an important vegetable in the daily meals of many people
in Asia and is considered a gourmet item in Western countries where they are available only as imports.
Bamboo is an exquisite component of landscape designs. It provides natural look and aesthetic beauty
to the landscape. Many species of bamboo are good for landscaping and urban greening 2011.]
References:
Bamboo information network (2011 September 26,). Retrieved from:
PCARRD-DOST, 2002.48p.Bamboo and Rattan Commodity Team. R&D status and directions (2000 and beyond) bamboo and rattan. Los Baños, Laguna
Rojo,J.P., C.A. Roxas, F.C.Pitargue, Jr and C.A. Briñas. 2000. Philippine Erect Bamboos, A Field Identification Guide. Forest
Products Research and Development Institute, College, Laguna.
The Bamboo Production Committee. The Philippines Recommends for Bamboo Production. Los Baños, laguna: PCARRD-DOST, 2006. - 74p.- (PCARRD Philippines Recommends Series No. 53-C).
Malab, SC et al, 1999. Kawayan technology . In Agriculture in the Ilocos: Farm Information and Technologies. Published by the
Ilocos Agriculture and Resources Research and Development. Vol 1. No.1 ISBN 971-91777-7-2
Virtucio, F.D. and C.A. Roxas, 2003. Bamboo Production in the Philippines. Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, - Department of Environment and Natural Resources, College, Laguna.
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