Coming together for Bamboo

CBTC Staff — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:17:59 +0000

VIII World Bamboo Congress

For a long time, researchers and experts on bamboo had done their studies, published their reports and

have endeavoured to share their knowledge with as many others as they could. But although this made the information available locally, it did not contribute to the global knowledge of the important plant that is known today as "green gold". The First International Bamboo Congress was held in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in 1984 with the express purpose of bringing together

researchers and experts in (L±, tiBAi

various fields of bamboo

to present, exchange

and share research and d 71 iv

knowledge on a common

platform. Sponsored by the American Bamboo Society, the results of the Congress

were published in a journal which was made available free of charge. Subsequent Congresses had many projects reviewed and initiated, including poverty alleviation, bamboo species census and mapping, structure design and bamboo basket crafts. The VII World Bamboo Congress in New Delhi in March 2004 covered issues like bamboo tissue culture, species identification,carbon sequestration, wood substitution, flooring, bamboo preservation and more.

Over the years, the World Bamboo Congress (WBC) has become a unique event that encourages global interaction by providing a platform for direct networking and sharing of ideas and information. In the last 15 years the WBC has grown to attract at least 400 participants from more than 30 countries around the world, including world-renowned experts in bamboo design, construction and architecture. For any professional who works with this amazing resource

Province, a few hours outside of Bangkok. The first stop was at a bamboo products factory which made bamboo furniture, paneling and flooring. The next stop was a bamboo shoot farm with numerous acres of bamboo, mostly Dendrocalamus aspen The workers at the farm graciously cut fresh shoots for people to eat raw and gave rooted branch cuttings to the participants who requested them. The final stop was the ceremonial bamboo

planting. A representative

Y•

from each country was selected to plant a

' bamboo in a new grove.

which was established

C., to commemorate the

conference and the International Bamboo Day declared at it.

Given the enormous amount of information presented during the four-day Congress, it would have been difficult for almost everyone to comprehend and retain all. Recognizing this fact, the organizers presented to each participant a CD containing transcripts of all the papers presented. The 1200 pages also contain contact information for each presenter

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C&B December 2009

World Bamboo Congress

Construction and Construction Methods

Tamreiyo Longvah — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:30:00 +0000

Bamboo Building Essentials

Plant the Hardest Species for the Climate

When growing bamboo species for building, choose varieties with thicker walls, as well as a cold tolerance that relates to your area - the key is to plant a species that is capable of withstanding the coldest seasonal temperatures. Refrain from using fertilizer on the bamboo, in particular nitrogen, which leads to rapid growth and weaker poles.

The current international building code tested strength of a species from a single place and time as applicable forthe entire species, regardless of growing conditions. Several builders have put forth the "unproven" idea that the density of the wood is a better measure of how soil, rainfall, care and age have all had their effect - regardless of species. Unfortunately, there are currently no grading or quality standards for bamboc poles. This means that the purchase of poles involves a great deal of faith and relationship-building betweer buyer and grower.

Different species are chosen for import into the U.S because of a unique visual characteristic like striped leaves or colored culms. For builders, the moss intriguing species are seen by others as "just another green bamboo." But imagine what we consider the holy grail of bamboos: in the tropical latitudes of the Himalayas, over thousands of years, plants have been forced to adapt to the rise of the mountains to very high elevations. So, the unique combination of a clumping, cold-tolerant, large diameter with strong fiber and tremendous pole production when grown in a more favorable climate might exist.

Plant where there is Plenty of Water and Sun

Bamboo requires plenty of water year round, as well as an abundance of sunshine. For this reason, bamboo is seen growing wild in ravines and along the banks of rivers and in places with a Monsoon hot-season climate: tropical Southeast Asia, the temperate foothills of the Himalayas, and the tropical northern half of South America primarily.

In places where there is less rain (i.e. southern California), wastewater is a good water source. The dense feeder roots make great filters and bamboo is capable of handling and using much hotter sources of nitrogen than most plants. Moso bamboo, for example, seems not to thrive unless watered every day.

By
Darrel DeBoer, Architect
Megan Groth, University of Washingtor,

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C&B December 2009

North East Cane and Bamboo Development Council - C&B December 2009

Coming together for Bamboo

Construction and Construction Methods