Bamboo as a Sustainable Resource

Bamboo is a fast growing grass with wood-like properties. Reaching Maturity in 5-8 years. Unlike wood it can be harvested annually without damaging the plant. It has been adapted to replace dwindling wood supplies as a construction material. Its fiber is also utilized for paper and textiles industry. Because of its fast growth and its ability to grow easily in many conditions bamboo is an ideal choice to quickly cover denuded forests and bare slopes to prevent soil from being washed away. It has also been shown to survive in other marginal areas, such as mines tailings and degraded water systems.

Research is being done to determine the full extent of the bamboo’s ability to sequester heavy metals, but so far it has been shown to improve and help rehabilitate these inhospitable areas. Because of major rainfalls, monsoons and typhoons in the Philippines land slides and flooding are common occurrences. Bamboo can be planted on slopes where its root system helps fix the soil. Additionally bamboo can absorb and retain a vast amount of water, reducing the flooding in the area surrounding the stand.

Bamboo records high levels of carbon sequestration, and thus can be planted not only to help regenerate denuded forests, but also to help purify the air. This capability is critical because only 46% (check figure) of the world’s forests cover remains, and as our carbon emissions reach staggering highs the earth’s capacity to absorb CO2 has been severely incapacitated. In the Philippines 86% (check figure) of the forests have been denuded. Global warming caused by the increase in greenhouse gasses (including CO2) correlates to the increase in extreme weather and natural disasters, such as typhoons and hurricanes, as well as the melting of the polar ice caps. The Philippines are especially susceptible to these meteorological and geographical changes. As over 20 typhoons annually affect the country and if the sea levels rise, the islands will shrink or disappear.