Governor Choi has made a tremendous impact on the county of Damyang, revitalizing its bamboo sector to expand its bamboo industry for modern and sustainable utilization. Twenty years ago, the bamboo markets closed in Damyang because of declining demand for bamboo products. Today, thanks to Governor Choi, the local bamboo resources are carefully maintained and managed to sustainably supply bamboo culms and shoots for emerging new markets.

Damyang county is located in the southwest corner of South Korea, in Jeollanum-do. It enjoys a southern continental climate and temperate climate forest zone with high temperatures and precipitation in summer, providing ideal conditions for bamboo growth. The county has 1,797 hectares of bamboo forest equal to 25.5% of Korea’s total bamboo habitat. It is rural and scenic, far from the hectic city of Seoul, and very much worth the travel to get there, especially if you want to see bamboo forests!

Damyang has been home to bamboo craft for about 300 years and since 2003 promotes the development of “New Bamboo Products” as a means to boost the local economy. The “Bamboo Park” in the capital town of the county attracts approx. 1.3 million visitors annually.

Not only will the 10th World Bamboo Congress take place over 5 days, 27 June – 1 July in 2015 in Damyang. The city will host the “World Bamboo Exposition 2015″ for an entire month, from June 20th to July 19th 2015. This exposition will show ways to improve the value of bamboo on an international level under the slogan “Bamboo for a Greener Future”. It will consist of a variety of bamboo exhibition halls featuring ecology, history, science, construction and Green Development, with an anticipated audience of over 90,000 visitors! Special cultural programs, workshops, competitions, music and more will be give people of all ages and all backgrounds a reason to truly celebrate all things bamboo.

Stay tuned for details, program development and tour packages. Most importantly, SAVE THE DATES and plan to attend!

With best regards to all of you out there in the world of bamboo,
     Susanne Lucas, Executive Director WBO
     Michel Abadie, President WBO

Official logos are available here for creating your own special souvenirs to celebrate BAMBOO!

Sonja Sheasley of Bum Boosa is organizing a 5K Run/Walk Race in the village of Cotuit on Cape Cod in Massachusetts USA, as a fundraiser for World Bamboo!  September 21, 2013. See the FB page here for more details.   

Please send us your ideas and plans, and we will post on our website.

www.worldbambooday.org

Let’s show the world the potentials of bamboo!

As part of the inauguration of the 9th World Bamboo Congress, we honor 5 of these great Bamboo Pioneers:  (see the PowerPoint presentation)

Oscar Hidalgo-Lopez of Colombia

Wenyu Hsiung of the Peoples Republic of China

Jules Janssen of The Netherlands

Shuen Chao Wu of Taiwan

Masatoshi Watanabe of Japan

Oscar Hidalgo – Lopez (1930 – )

Oscar Hidalgo was born in a town called Chinchina on the 16th of November in 1930. In this town, it was very common to build houses from local bamboo (the Guadua). His father was an odonotologist and his mother was dedicated to child care at home. He had a brother named Fernando who also became an architect, who sadly passed away ten years ago. He has a step-brother named Fabian. who wanted to bring Oscar to this event today but unfortunately Oscar’s health prevents him from traveling.

Oscar studied at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and graduated as an Architect. Immediately after graduation, Oscar worked locally for several years until leaving for the United States in order to teach at Parsons School of Design in New York City. A pioneer in art and design education since its founding in 1896, Parsons has cultivated outstanding artists, designers, scholars, businesspeople, and community leaders for more than a century. During the years Oscar was at Parsons, the school programs began to encourage students to work on more socially conscious projects, such as public housing, alternatives to substandard urban housing, etc. The philosophy at Parsons during and since Oscar’s tenure there emphatically championed art and design as both intellectual practice and social responsibility. This is apparent in the evolution of Oscar’s work.

Growing up in Chinchina, surrounded by houses made of bamboo, Oscar watched as bamboo was used for many residential and public buildings. It was cheap and widely available, and was hidden behind plaster exteriors. After his education in architecture, he was further intrigued by the possibilities of bamboo. He embarked on a project to construct a country club kiosk 23 meters in diameter using bamboo. Five days before the opening ceremony, there was a hurricane which extremely distorted the building, moving the kingpost 90 cm off-center. After only two hours of working with a winch, however, the structure was successfully moved back into place without collapsing. Seeing this, he was sold on bamboo.

In 1960, when the Guadua were on the brink of extinction due to the intensive destruction of the natural bamboo plantations which began in the 1950’s, it was the Colombian Institute of Natural Resources (INDERENA) that forbade the cutting of bamboo without its permission. Fortunately today the natural Guadua forests are protected, managed and respected; no doubt thanks to people like Oscar. He later worked for the giant global contractor, Bechtel for 13 years, and as an inspiring teacher and researcher at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. He founded the Bamboo Research Center (CIBAM). He worked as a consultant in Ecuador and Costa Rica for the United Nations, as well as consultant for the Acuerdo de Cartagnea PADT-REFORT in Peru and Bolivia. His research took him to libraries in several universities, including Washington University in Canada, Columbia University in New York, and the University of California in Berkeley. Architect

Oscar Hidalgo set out and dedicated his life to bamboo research, teaching the world about the limitless possibilities of this remarkable plant. “With bamboo we can replace wood or timber in all their applications, but we cannot use wood or timber to make all the things and structures that can only be made with bamboo.” (Hidalgo, 2003) Amazed at its structural integrity and aesthetic possibilities, he traveled extensively throughout the United States, Germany, Japan, Philippines, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Costa Rica, Brazil, India and elsewhere to study and teach, to experiment and explore. Everywhere he went, he inspired and influenced many students of architecture and design, builders and engineers.

In 2003, Oscar Hidalgo published an incredible book entitled, Bamboo – The Gift of the Gods. Essentially it is a testament of his life’s discoveries involving his study of bamboo; as a plant, its taxonomy, ecology, silviculture, mechanical and chemical properties, the role of preservation and protection in its durability, its use in traditional uses and handicrafts, manufacture of modern products and materials, bamboo construction technologies, engineering potentials, and modern possibilities. It is a triumph to his dedication and commitment. It is standing proof of his bamboo pioneering spirit.

Wenyu Hsiung (1915 – )

Wenyu Hsiung was born July 9th, 1915 in Chong Qing county of Sichuang Province. He graduated from the Forestry Department of Sichuan University, receiving his Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree in 1940. He remained on the staff as a faculty member after graduation. Four years later, he was promoted to a lecturer. In 1944 he obtained a scholarship and set his heart on pursuing his studies abroad.

He first attended classes at the University of Toronto and then transferred to the College of Forestry of Yale University. He received a master’s degree from Yale University in 1947. In August of that year, he transferred to the University of Minnesota and received a doctorate degree in 1951, and stayed on to continue his research. After his return from overseas in August of 1953, he successively held the posts of vice dean, dean and professor of Forestry Department of Nanjing Forestry College (now called the Nanjing Forestry University). He was a member of the third, fourth and fifth council of the Chinese Society of Forestry; director of Ecological Society of China; member of the third and fourth discipline assessment groups of the academic degree commission of the state council; subeditor of the forestry group of the editorial board of the ministry of forestry; member of the academic committee of environmental ecological center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; advisor of the integrated survey group of the southern part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; member and advisor of the scientific and technological committee of the ministry of forestry; followed by president and honorary president of Jiangsu executive council of ecology.

Since 1978, Wenyu Hsiung was appointed as visiting professor in the College of Forestry of the University of Idaho (USA); invited spokesperson of the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth world conferences of IUFRO; visiting professor of University of Edinburgh, University of Aberdeen, University of Oxford, University of Wales, Bangor, Universität Hamburg and Universität Göttingen; Malaysian forestry advisor of United Nations Development Programme. In 1987, he was selected as leader of P5·04 of IUFRO, mainly in charge of the 19th symposium to be held in August of 1990. He has been a teacher for more than 50 years, devoting himself to forestry education, training and mentoring of scientific personnel for bamboo research.

Wenyu Hsiung grew up in an environment of bamboo and has deep affection for bamboo. He was very worried about China’s lack of forest resources. As China has a large area of bamboo forest which is widely distributed with lots of varieties and rich experience in the cultivation and utilization of bamboo, he believed that we can solve the contradiction between the supply and demand of timber and give full play to bamboo resources by strengthening bamboo production and substituting bamboo for wood. Thus, he decided to be engaged in bamboo research, and selected Moso bamboo as his research object. Moso bamboo is the main species of bamboo in China which is fast growing and of high economic value. He spent all his energy in bamboo research, and led his work team to conduct on-the-spot investigations.

In 1958, he published a book called High-yield Moso Bamboo Stands in Shimen of Zhejiang Province. He found if we wanted to enlarge the area of bamboo forests and raise the per unit yield, we would be need to make a systematic study. Therefore, he organized the bamboo research group in Nanjing Forestry College in 1962. In addition, he conducted research on the characteristics of population structure of bamboo forest by using principles of ecology and put forward the measures and research direction of management and administration for bamboo forest. In 1964, he put forward the idea of south bamboo north transplanting and has carried out the introduction of moso bamboo ever since. In 1974, he with Prof. Zhou Fangchun, another bamboo expert, compiled a book called Bamboo Cultivation, which was welcomed by the reading public and reprinted four times successively. In 1978, his two achievements High Yield Moso Bamboo and South Bamboo North Transplanting won The National Science Conference Unit Award.

In 1981, Prof. Hsiung was invited to join the 17th world conference held by IUFRO in Japan. He presented the paper called Study on Intercalary Meristem and internode elongation of Bamboo Plants, and put forward some new points which roused attendants’ interests. In 1986, he was also invited to join the 18th world conference by IUFRO in Yugoslavia. He gave the report on Current Status and Development of Bamboo Research in China which was published in Forestry Research issued by the United Nations. At that conference, he was selected as leader of P5·04 of IUFRO for a term from 1987 to 1990. He compiled Bamboo Bulletin in English, mainly introducing world bamboo production and scientific research trends. In 1987, his name Wenyu Hsiung was listed in the biology volume of Who’s Who in the World by Longman Group Ltd. In 1988, his name was also listed in the Celebrity of Far East and Australia and International Intellects by Cambridge International Autobiography. In order to push bamboo research work forward, Prof. Hsiung and Zhou set up Bamboo Institute in Nanjing Forestry University. Wenyu Hsiung has put a great deal of effort and made a great contribution to bamboo development at home and abroad, in December of 1990, he won the outstanding contribution prize by IUFRO and was known as “Mr. Bamboo” by foreign friends.

Jules J.A. Janssen (1935 – )

In 1963, Jules Janssen achieved a Masters of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Delft University, with the main subject of structural design. From 1963-67, he was partner in an architect’s office, with major projects involving the structural design for a concert hall containing 3000 seats, and a harbor shed of 7200 square meter (80,000 sq. ft.)

Jules begins his teaching career in September of 1967, at the Eindhoven University, on the faculty of architecture and building, teaching structural design and applied mechanics. A few years later, in 1972, a Dutch volunteer in Indonesia asks him his advice on how to build with bamboo; the only source for his answer is found in a Dutch colonial military handbook from 1890. This raises his interest in bamboo! In 1974, when the university faculty asks who of the younger staff members would like to begin a PhD research, Jules applies with “bamboo as a building material” as his subject. The faculty considers this as crazy. Jules says, “in fact, they are right. I am headstrong, and starting this research is extremely difficult.” Jules struggles with how to determine the mechanical properties of bamboo without knowledge of appropriate testing methods. He discovers there is hardly any literature available, and he has to start with the test methods themselves, which is rather unusual. Later on, in 1997, this research is extremely welcome as a basis for the ISO standard on these methods. In 1979, the secretary of the Forestry Department of Wageningen University informs him “a German professor” is coming to present a guest lecture on bamboo, and Jules attends that lecture. Afterwards he meets the professor (Walter Liese) and presents his research. Professor Liese is enthusiastic, and invites Jules to the first bamboo workshop in Singapore, May 1980, sponsored by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC, Canada, the founder of INBAR – the International Network of Bamboo and Rattan).

Three years later, Walter Liese attends the PhD ceremonies of Jules Janssen. Dr. Janssen’s first consultancy involves strategy to diminish the import of timber products by using locally made bamboo products in the country of Burundi. Additionally he was a member of the Intermediate Technology Development Group’s (ITDG) building panel, CIB-W18B for several years. He became supervisor of the National Bamboo Project in Costa Rica, serving in that role from 1987-1995, visiting there twice a year for three weeks at a time. Beginning in 1988 while attending the International Bamboo Workshop in Cochin, India, he commits himself to the development of international standards for bamboo and devotes almost sixteen years to this goal. A consultancy job takes Jules to Bangladesh in 1991 to work on the preservation of bamboo; he is granted the Royal Order of “Officer in the Order of Oranje Nassau” for his work on bamboo by Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands in 1994, attends bamboo seminars in Tanzania in 1996, and in 1997, upon invitation of the Hawaii Chapter of the American Bamboo Society, Jules leads lectures on bamboo for three weeks. The lecture notes become the basis for his handbook, “Designing and building with bamboo”, which is later published by INBAR in 2000. Dr.

Janssen’s efforts on behalf of INBAR achieved significant success in 1997, at which time the Dutch Government, through the department for development cooperation, approved funding of $1.4 million (USD) for INBAR. This leads to Jules being present at the formal ceremony in Beijing for the establishment of new INBAR headquarters, followed by hectic years of much traveling as he works to build a strong organizational structure within INBAR. Most of his time from 1997-2000, he is occupied with writing draft texts for ISO standards on bamboo. The year 2000 brings formal retirement to Jules, but he continues to work for INBAR. Fortunately, Eindhoven University allows him use of all the facilities, and he continues his efforts in the development of the ISO bamboo standards, and additionally begins the role of editor for INBAR’s new Journal of Bamboo and Rattan. He continues mentoring, as he supervised several PhD candidates on bamboo: three in Eindhoven, one in Birmingham, and two in Delft. Finally, in 2004, the bamboo standards are approved by ISO. This is an incredible achievement in the acceptance of bamboo as a legitimate alternative to traditional timber and opens many doors for the use of bamboo in developed countries. The next year brings the end of Jules roles as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Bamboo and Rattan, which became the responsibility of the Kerala Forestry Research Institute. He left one job as editor for another, as he becomes the editor for the English language version of the handbook entitled, “Bamboo and Rattan in the World”, published by the Chinese Academy of Forestry on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of INBAR. This is a job of 250, 000 words, which is extraordinary considering English is not Jules’ first language! These days Jules Janssen enjoys calmer days at home, writing magazine articles or advising students. Bamboo stays on his mind, and in his heart. 

Shuen-Chao Wu (1927- )

Professor Shuen-Chao Wu was born on March 2, 1927 at Chai-Yi, a city in southern Taiwan. Wu grew up near the forest train station, and frequently had the chance to see trains carrying huge logs. In his childhood, those scenes gave him a strange feeling and unforgettable deep image in his heart. Wu’s interest in forestry can be traced back to the summer of 1940. At the age of 13, Wu joined he boy scouts and had a chance to climb up to Mountain Morrison (also called Yushan, the highest mountain in northeast Asia), reaching its top to the height of 3950 meters above sea level. Through his many trips to the mountains, Wu had been able to observe many plants, such as bamboos, broadleaf trees and coniferous trees, from tropical, sub-tropical, temperate and sub frigid forests, gradually changing with increasing elevations. Since then, Wu grew up with a deep interest in bamboos, woods and forests.

From 1949 to 1953, Wu attended the National Taiwan University (NTU) and majored in Forestry. After graduation, up to 1956, he worked at National Forests (Taiwan Forest Bureau) as a forest staff member, and later continued his work at the Experimental Forest, National Taiwan University. Wu studied at the Graduate School of Forestry at the University of Tokyo, Japan from 1956-1962, and obtained a masters and doctorate degrees. In his six-year sojourn in Tokyo, Wu joined research work focusing on forest operation and wood utilization, and worked all over Japan. He presented many research papers in Japan and Taiwan. On August of 1962, Wu accepted an offer as associate professor, returning to his alma mater, the Department of Forestry, NTU. In 1965, Wu was promoted as professor, and continued his research works and teaching in Forestry for over 30 years. Under his guidance, 60 diploma students, 47 master students and 8 doctoral students achieved their degrees.

After his retirement in 1997, Wu continued to participate in forestry and academic activities by attending several forestry associations and some foundations. From 1972 to 1978, Wu was appointed as the chairman of the Department and Graduate School of Forestry, NTU. Under his exertion, the masters and doctorate degree programs were promoted. He also developed the scheme of the departmental program by dividing it into four units as “silviculture”, “resource management”, “forest industry” and “forest resources and conservation”. In 1978, Wu was invited as Visiting Professor in the University of Tokyo, where he undertook research works and strengthened the relationship between University of Tokyo and NTU. From 1981 to 1984, Wu took a position as the Dean of General Affairs of NTU, and had many outstanding achievements in the areas of forestry and administration. In 1988, Wu was invited as Visiting Professor in the Tokyo Agricultural University, Tokyo, and was actively involved in research works with scholars all over Japan.

As honorable positions, Wu holds the Professor Emeritus of National Taiwan University, Honorary President of Chinese Forest Products Association-Taiwan, the honorary member of the Chinese Forest Association-Taiwan, and the honorary member of Japanese Forest Engineering Association-Japan. 1. As the Representative of Taiwan (China-Taipei), Wu had participated eight times in the IUFRO World Congress, including the meetings from 16th to 22nd, and the Centennial Anniversary, from 1976 to 2005. His research papers were presented in IUFRO and other international meetings. As one of the previous IUFRO Executive Board Members, Wu attended several Board Meetings of IUFRO, traveling to many countries, such as Manaus-Brazil, Garpenberg-Sweden, Pointe-Noire-Congo, Portland-USA, Los Banas-Philippines, Prague-Czekoslavia, Quebec-Canada, Beijing-China, and San José-Costa Rica, etc.

He published over 200 research papers, including:

1. “Effects of Age, Node and Height in a Culm on Specific Gravity and Mechanical Properties of Bamboo”, 1966, Published in Department of Forestry, National Taiwan University (NTU) Report 1, PP 1-45.

2.“The Effect of the Cutting Rotation of Bamboo on its Mechanical Properties”, 1976, Published in New Horizons in Construction Materials, PP555-566, Evo Publishing Company, Inc., Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

3. “Study on the Structure of Bamboo Species Grown in Taiwan”, 1976, Published in the Dept. of Forestry, N.T.U., Bulletin No. 16, PP1-79.

4. “Research and Development of the Production and Utilization of Bamboo in Taiwan, R.O.C.” (The 17th IUFRO World Congress at Kyoto, Japan, September 6-17, 1981.)

5. “ The Structural Variation of Leptomorph Type and Pachymorph Type Bamboo Species”, 1986, Published in Forest Products Industries 5(2.):49-62.

6. “ The Ultrastructure of Vascular Bundles of Some Taiwan Bamboo Species, 1987, Published in Quart. Journ. Exp. For., N.T.U. 1(1):21-44.

7. Three research papers were presented in the 4th International Bamboo Workshop on Bamboo in Asia and Pacific, at Chiangmai, Thailand, November 27-30, 1991. a) Anatomical Characteristics of Taiwan giant bamboo and Moso bamboo. b) The ultrastructure of Taiwan giant bamboo and Moso bamboo. c) Structural variability of vascular bundles of some exotic bamboo species.

8. “The drying shrinkage of 3 rattan specie grown in Taiwan.” (IUFRO All-Division 5 Conference at Nancy, France. August 23-28, 1992)

9. “The Structural Variation of Recently Introduced Bamboo in Taiwan.” (Symposium on International Bamboo Industrial Utilization at Beijing, China, December 7-10, 1992.)

10. After the Beijing symposium, Wu visited An-Chi Bamboo Garden, near Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Wu had collected 20 species involving 13 genera bamboo samples for his research work there. Later he had used those materials making several research achievements and published 7 related papers as follows: a) “The Anatomical Properties of some Bamboo Species Grown in Mainland China (1), (2), (3)”, 1995&1996, published in Quart. Journ. ExP. For. National Taiwan University 9(1): 93-119, 9(4): 53-70, 10(2):37-59. b) “The Ultrastructure of Bamboos Grown in Mainland China (1), (2), (3), 1995&1996”, published in the Forest Products Industries 14(4): 499-518, 15(1): 1-20, 15(2): 193-215. c) “The Ultrastructure of Phyllostachys Genus Bamboos Grown in Mainland China, 1996”, published in Quart. Journ. Exp. For., National Taiwan University 10(1):23.

11. “Movement of Water and Chemical Solution in Ma Bamboo and Moso Bamboos”. (1993 FPRS Annual Meeting, at Clearwater, Florida, U.S.A. , June 21-23, 1993.)

12. “The wood Properties of Acacia Mangium and Acacia Auriculiformis Grown in Taiwan” (“International Symposium on the Utilization of Fast-Growing Trees (ISUFGT), at Nanjing, China, October 16-18, 1994.

13. Physical and Mechanical Properties of Malaysian Commercial Rattan Species, 1995, Published in Quart. Journ. For., N.T.U., 9(1):19-31.

14. 2 papers were presented in the 40th Anniversary of Japan Wood Research Society at Tokyo, Japan, April 4-9, 1995. a) “Group analysis as applied to wood anatomy of Taxodiaceae members.” b) “A computer model developed for differentiating wood anatomical characteristics in members of Pinaceae.”

15. On November 26-28, 1996, Wu was invited to the “FORTROP’96: International Conference on Tropical Forestry in the 21st Century” at Bangkok, Thailand, and A statement of “Wood Utilization in the Tropics” as one of Conference Keynote Speakers. In this conference, Wu also had the honor as co-chairman with Prof. Walter Liese for portion of congress.

16. “ The Anatomical and Mechanical Properties of Bamboo Species” (IUFRO All Division 5 International Conference—Forest Products for sustainable Forestry, at Spokane, Washington, U.S.A., July 7-11, 1997.)

17. Anatomical and Mechanical Properties of 3 Thailand Bamboo Species, 1998, Published in the Forest Products Industries, 17 (1):19-31.

18. On early September, 1998, Wu visited “Bamboo Processing and Industrial Technology Training Center”, at Moin near San Jose, Costa Rica that was supported by Taiwanese Government for promoting and assisting Costa Rica’s farmers to raise up their income and techniques in cultivation and utilization of bamboos. And discussed some technical aids about their development in the future.

Dr. Wu joins us today, traveling all the way from Taiwan, to share his enthusiasm for bamboo with all the participants of the 9th World Bamboo Congress.

Masatoshi WATANABE (1933 – )

Masatoshi Watanabe graduated from the Kyoto College of Foreign Languages in 1955. He achieved qualification as Forestry Specialist by the Forestry Agency of the Japan Government ten years later and in 1986 received a Doctorate degree from National Kyushu University. His thesis title, “Basic studies on the management of bamboo forests based on ecological characteristics.” His central interest and specialty focus became bamboo forest ecology, silviculture and management. Watanabe served as a technical official at Kyoto University from 1953-1991, and was the loyal assistant of Dr. Koichiro Ueda for 38 years. The World Bamboo Organization honored Dr. Ueda as the first Bamboo Pioneer at the 8th World Bamboo Congress, Bangkok in 2009, and subsequently honors Dr. Watanabe at this 9th WBC with the Ueda Lecture.

Since retiring from Kyoto University in 1991 to the present, Dr. Watanabe continues working as a specialist in the Japan Bamboo Society, as well as a specialist for the Rakusai Bamboo Park in Kyoto, lecturer for the Japanese government Forestry Agency, and since 2005 serves as Secretary General to the Japan Bamboo Association.

His international career included several fascinating opportunities. From 1970 – 1972, he was dispatched by the Japanese government to Thailand for technical cooperation as a bamboo expert, to Indonesia as a forestry expert in 1994 and 1995, to Chile as bamboo expert in 1996, and back again to Indonesia in 1997 as a bamboo expert. In November of 1992, Watanabe hosted a group of visitors from the American and European bamboo societies during the Third International Bamboo Congress. He generously guided and eagerly toured with this intrepid group of foreigners, crossing the bamboo bridge in friendship and spirit. He has continuously crossed over that bamboo bridge as researcher and scientist, participating as a speaker in the 7th World Bamboo Congress in Delhi, India in 2004 and attended the 8th World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok in 2009.

He has been a prolific writer, and has authored more than 150 papers. Those published in English, include: Masatoshi, WATANABE & Prasarn BARMNGRASD：On the research works of bamboo forest in Thailand. 3rd Nat. Forestry Conf., Thailand 1970

Masatoshi WATANABE：Report of technical service and research work on silviculture and management of bamboo forest in Thailand. Overseas Tech. Coop. Agency, Tokyo. 96pp. 1970

Masatoshi WATANABE & Seiichi OOHATA：Studies on bamboo culm form (1). On Phyllostachys bambusoudes Seib.et Zucc., J. Japan For. Soc., Vol. 62(1)：9～16, 1980

Masatoshi WATANABE & Hajime HAMADA：How long is the flowering interval of bamboo? Bamboo Production & Utilization：77～83, Proc. 17th IUFRO World Cong. in Kyoto, 1981

Masatoshi WATANABE, Koichiro UEDA, Ippei MANABE & Tatsuo AKAI：Flowering, seedling, germination, and flowering periodicity of Phyllostachys pubescens. J. Japan For. Soc., Vol.64(3)107～111, 1982

Masatoshi WATANABE：On the productivity of Phyllostachys bambusoides in recovering from flowering. J. Japan For. Soc., Vol.65(3)：89～93, 1983

Takashige AOKI & Masatoshi WATANABE：Studies on the organization of Phyllostachys bambusoides stands. Bamboo Prod. & Utili., Proc. P.5.04, 18th IUFRO World Cong., Yugoslavia：37 ～41, 1986

Masatoshi WATANABE：A proposal on the life form of bamboos and ecological typification of bamboo forests. Bamboo Prod. & Utili., Proc. P.5.04, 18th IUFRO World Cong., Yugoslavia：37～41, 1986

Masatoshi WATANABE：Distribution of bamboos in the world. Bamboo Journal No.4：225～233, 1987

Masatoshi WATANABE, Masaharu INOUE & Tadao TAKANO：Discussion on the prediction of culm height in Phyllostachys bambusoides bamboos. Bamboo Journal No.7：27～38, 1990

Masatoshi WATANABE & Takashige AOKI：Ecological characteristics of Phyllostachys bambusoides stands. Abstracts of Vth INTECOL：491, 1990

Masatoshi WATANABE & Takashige AOKI：Some productive aspects of Phyllostachys bambusoides stands. Bamboo Journal No. 8：1～8, 1990

Masatoshi WATANABE：Present status of bamboo industry in Japan. Bamboo Journal No.9：58～68, 1991

Masatoshi WATANABE：On the management of bamboo stands, with special reference to Japanese research. Constraints to production of bamboo and rattan, with special reference to planting materials and management of natural stands. Report of a consultation held 9～13 May 1994, Bangalore, India：175～191, INBAR, 1994

Masatoshi WATANABE：Recent bamboo industry and research in Japan. International Workshop on Bamboo Research, 24～26 June 1994, Chu-Tou Forest Rec. Area, Exp. For. Nat. Taiwan Univ., Taiwan

Masatoshi WATANABE：Report of forest tending on after-care program for the trial plantation project in Benakat, South Sumatra. 43pp. Submitted to Indonesia Government, 1994

Masatoshi WATANABE, Agus Setyono, Dharmawan Pathi & Sairun：Final Reoprt, Forest tending on after-care program for the trial plantation project in Benakat, South Sumatra. 66pp. Submitted to Indonesia Government, 1995

Masatoshi WATANABE, Claudio Zunino Aviles, Carlos Kahler G. & Carmen Gloria Quezada C.：Report on breeding control of Quila. 94pp., submitted to JICA & INFIR, 1996

Masatoshi WATANABE, Claudio Zunino Aviles, Carlos Kahler G. & Carmen Gloria Quezada C.： Ecological characteristics of Chusquea quila Kunth from central-south Chile. Bamboo Journal No.14：1～14, 1997

Masatoshi WATANABE：Report, Bamboo resources development program in Indonesia. Submitted to Ministry of Forestry, Indonesia. , 1997

Masatoshi WATANABE：On the above-ground biomass of four bamboo forests in Indonesia. Bamboo Journal No.16：22～32, 1999

We welcome him here today in Belgium for the 9th World Bamboo Congress as he presents the WBO Ueda Lecture, and honor him proudly as a recipient of the WBO Bamboo Pioneer Award.

Cherla Sastry

Cherla Sastry was born in Andhra Pradesh, India and came to Canada, as a graduate student, in the early sixties. He studied biology, forestry and forest products at Andhra University, India and University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada respectively. Dr Sastry’s experience includes professional positions with the University of Toronto, Canada, the University of British Columbia, the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada, Forintek Canada Corporation, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), Agriculture University, Malaysia, theWestern Forest Products Laboratory (Environment Canada), Vancouver, the Ministry of Defense, GOI and Andhra University in India. Dr Sastry joined the International Development Research Centre of Canada in 1983 to conceive, develop and administer the IDRC’s Forestry, Environment and Natural Resources programs in Asia and South Pacific. In this capacity, he was instrumental in developing a number of successful multi-disciplinary projects and networks [such as Bamboo and Rattan, the Medicinal Plants] in the region, some of which became global activities with multi-donor support. In 1993, Sastry developed the Bamboo and Rattan Network into a formal operation linking governments NGOs, and research institutions throughout the region, based in New Delhi. He raised millions of dollars for its operations and created the organization as an IDRC Special program in 1994. In November 1997 he was appointed Founding Director General of the newly created International Network for Bamboo and Rattan [INBAR], as an independent international organization established through treaty, with head quarters in Beijing, PR China. He was lovingly known as the father of INBAR. He retired from service at the end of 1999 after two decades of distinguished service with these Organizations. In September 2000, he was appointed as an Adjunct Professor of Forestry and an Associate of the Institute for Environmental Studies, at the University of Toronto Dr. Sastry also is active as a consultant to FAO, UNIDO CIDA, the Government of India, Cuba and others since retirement. Dr. Sastry has been a member of several international forestry and forest products research and technical associations. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the University Pertanian Malaysia, the Forest Products Research and Development Institute [1989 and1999] of the Philippines as well as the Kasetsart University and the Royal Forest Department Thailand. In 1990, the Chinese Academy of Forestry awarded him the title of “Honorary Research Professor” for his outstanding contributions to the development of forestry research in China. He was appointed UNESCO chair in China in 1996. The Society of Indian Foresters has honored him in 1994, with a plaque and a shawl for his lifetime contribution to the cause of forestry research and international cooperation. The Chairman and the Board of Directors of INBAR, in January 2000, have conferred on Sastry the honorary title “Distinguished Fellow of INBAR for life” in recognition of his outstanding service and contribution to the organization and its aim.He was recently a chief guest at a held in Beijing by the Govt. of people republic of China and 32 member countries of INBAR at its 10th Anniversary held in Novemeber 2007 at the guest wall of people. Dr. Sastry has author or co-authored over 50 scientific and technical publication and books in forestry, forest product and agro-forestry and lectured at several national and international workshops and conventions. Dr. Sastry holds a MS in Forestry and Ph d in Forest products from the University of British Columbia and an MSc and a BSc (Honors) in Botany and BSc (Biology) from Andhra University in India.

Some select Lifetime achievement awards/recognitions Sastry received:

Zayed International Prize for the Environment, Dubai- UAE

Awarded to the Authors of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Distinguished Fellow of INBAR for Life- for outstanding contributions and Service for the Development of the Sector- Board of Directors INBAR, Govt. of PR China and 31 other Countries of the Council of INBAR.

Recognition of Outstanding Service -IDRC-Canada Honorary Research Professor- Chinese Academy of Forestry; PR China

Honorary Member-The Chinese Society of Forestry-for outstanding contribution to Forestry

Plaque of Appreciation, Gov. of Thailand—Active Contribution, support, esteemed Advice on Forestry and Friendship

Outstanding Service Award- Univ. Pertananian Malaysia/Gov Malaysia–CIDA Visiting Professor and Advisor of Forestry.

Plaque of Appreciation- Republic of Philippines-for Invaluable contribution to Forest Products R&D in Asia and the Pacific.

Certificate of Appreciation–Govt of Indonesia–Contributions to Forestry Devt. Award-Society of Indian Foresters–a Plaque and a Shawl-for a lifetime of dedicated service to the cause of Forestry.

Vinoo Kaley

Bamboo Idealist Vinoo Kaley was born in Wardha on 30th June 1946.After his graduation from JJ College of Architecture in 1968, and a great many wanderings in as a Bhikshu of vernacular building wisdom, he started work at Wardha once again as architect, activist, manufacturer of lime, builder in mud and maverick lobbyist for cause of the Gandhian mode of building. The three decades since seventies that Vinoo worked with Wardha as his spiritual centre of architectural activism saw him move to Bombay briefl y and raise a family of three children at Nagpur. He soon grew into an incessant communicator of Gandhian ideologies addressing students, scientists, fellow professionals, the bureaucrats of Delhi or anyone on the road who was willing to listen. A diehard optimist, fighting the brutalist industrial apparatus with Bamboo as his weapon, Vinoo was a pragmatist. He is quoted “There is no ideal, only factors of real that we don’t understand”. In the last decade of his life, Vinoo’s singular passion was Bamboo – he designed, and built with it, wrote about it, fought for its reinstatement as building material, and experimented successfully with it as structural columns, large span trusses and in foundations. He designed and built entirely in bamboo 40 houses in Maharashtra. The Crafts bazaar in Bamboo that he put up at Hyderabad was nominated for the Aga Khan award in Architecture. Venu Bharati; an illustrated volume on Bamboo was Vinoo’s final gift to the lovers of bamboo the world over. Vinoo Kaley died suddenly on 11th June 1998. Those who knew him and even those whose lives he touched briefl y would agree that the striking aspect of Vinoo’s personality was his total and intense commitment to the service of others. He believed that it was through strengthening the professional aspects of their work that artisan communities would attain the level of self confi dence which would allow them to take their rightful place in our society. Vinoo was convinced that the artisan’s way of thinking and solving problems had immense relevance in terms of providing creative solutions particularly suited to the Indian context. Very few people do put into these beliefs the energy and tireless efforts that Vinoo did. He drove himself, his family and his associates to transcend their limitations. As a true community worker, he felt and clearly demonstrated that there could be a way of life in which there was no division between the personal and societal, that they were part of totality.Our society has produced and continues to produce great individuals and exceptionally creative ideas. What is needed is willingness and ability and drive to channelize the creative energy of individuals into the community.Vinoo believed passionately that this was necessary and possible. He continually chiseled within himself the qualities that are needed in the endeavour. He showed that vision has to be allied to the discipline, that openness is what compensates for individual weakness and above all that a sense of community overrides ideological bias.

Sampuran Singh, Managing Director Timpack Pvt. Ltd.

Sampuran Singh, along with his son Inderpal Singh Bhusri, started the company named Timpack Pvt. Ltd. on 14th June 1976 and carried on the business manufacturing, trading of timber and its timber products such as packing cases, tea chest etc. in 1979, the company set up a saw mill in Byrnihat, Meghalaya and continued its business till 1998, with their saw mill license still valid today. Thereafter, the Ministry of Environment & Forests and Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India approached Timpack to setup a bamboo based industry at Byrnihat. With 67% of the country’s bamboo are available in the North East, the unit was the first of its kind in India. In the year 2001, Sampuran Singh setup the New Bamboo Based Industry in India at Byrnihat, Meghalaya, with technology transfer from Indian Plywood Industries Research & Training Institute (IPIRTI), Ministry of Environment & Forests, Bangalore & Buildings Material Technology & Promotion Council (BMTPC), Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, New Delhi and with support from Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre (CBTC), Meghalaya Government, Planning Commission of India and various other departments. In this connection, Meghalaya Government, for the 1st time in the state, allowed Timpack to purchase 4.5 acres of land where their existing timber factory was situated to setup this new bamboo based industry. The Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) invested Rs. 100.00 Lacs preference shares in the company as the State Government and Central Government are keen to promote and encourage this new bamboo based industry which in turn will result in generating huge employment and providing economic upliftment to the rural people. However, numerous problems were faced in the formative years due to teething problems, initial production & raw materials constraints and product acceptability issues. Any new innovative product particularly, an eco–friendly product, takes it own time to gain acceptability and in particular with government departments it is a time consuming process. But Sampuran Singh and his team never gave up and continued their sincere hard work and struggle to make this new bamboo based industry a success. Today, the formative phase and its associated struggles are over and the company has passed all the tests conducted by various government departments. Their eco-friendly bamboo based products have generated a good demand after the struggles in marketing and product acceptability. The products are being used by various government departments and organizations like Indian Railways, CPWD and PWD as well as by various other private sector units. Today, at the age of 92 years, Sampuran Singh stands proud as one of the pioneers of bamboo in the country. He is still motivated and in turn motivates his team us to continue their work and dedication in order to make this region and the new bamboo based industry to be recognized on the bamboo map of the world.

Rajib Goswami

A bamboo entrepreneur right from his childhood, Rajib Goswami wanted to do something of his own. With this vision, after completing his Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce, he started going into opportunistic businesses on a case to case basis until he had the opportunity to set up a retail fuel station under Indian Oil Corporation in 1986 – the Ambika Service Station. But, still his quest for doing something of his own remained, his mind constantly on the lookout and exploring possibilities. In the year 2001, on a personal trip to Australia, he happened to come across bamboo floorings and other bamboo products which were manufactured in China and, suddenly the idea clicked that he could do something on bamboo in his own state Assam, which being a part of India’s North East had an abundance of bamboo. In fact, the region is home to 67% of the country’s total growing stock.On his return, he explored every possibility of setting up a bamboo based unit and happened to come in contact with Guwahati based Cane and Bamboo echnology Centre (CBTC). Subsequently, he was selected as a part of the delegation to China as an exposure cum study tour of bamboo based units organized by CBTC-UNIDO in 2003. He returned, fully convinced that a Bamboo Window Blind / Placemats / Floor Mats manufacturing unit would be the one he was looking for. Immediately, he was on the job, prepared the TEFR and submitted to a national level bamboo based agency funds units on 0% interest. But, his proposal was rejected on various grounds. However, he was determined and convinced that by starting such a unit, he could become a change agent, and if successful, could be a model unit to be replicated elsewhere. Subsequently, he approached State Bank of India, who sanctioned the project and funds were released. From then, Rajib Goswami never looked back. In 2005-06, he started with 3 looms and, within a year, increased the installed capacity by 600% i.e. to 18 looms. Also, lots of improvements have been made on quality of his product and prices were structured better, becoming globally competitive as he was competing with Chinese manufacturers with a better product quality. His unit has become the only of its kind in the entire country and buyers who were earlier importing from China in bulk are buying his products and many more now exploring to purchase. The products – Bamboo Blinds, Placemats and Floor Mats – are manufactured with full mechanization and quality control. In order to be a leader in the market, the product demands innovation both in terms of design and quality. Today, Rajib Goswami’s unit – Rhino Bamboo Industry – has many innovative designs along with 150 standardized designs. The unit stands as a testimony to show that with proper channelized effort bamboo can turn out to be a very profitable and socially enhancing sector.

Living creatures all around the world depend on bamboo for their survival. This includes Homo sapiens.  We all know that for centuries, human cultures have cultivated and utilized bamboo for their daily needs and through innovation improved their livelihoods and economies.

On the village level, farmers and craftsmen developed techniques which were passed down from generation to generation.  In more modern times, man has looked to science for solutions and progress.  Through committed research, we have discovered new approaches of how bamboo as a managed resource can lead to the betterment of mankind.

Dedication, determination and collaboration are required to advance any scientific endeavor.  There exists individuals whose lifelong commitment to bamboo science deserve our attention and honored recognition.  Today, as part of the inauguration of the 8th World Bamboo Congress, we honor 4 of these great Bamboo Pioneers:

     Ueda Koichiro

     Krit Samapuddhi

     Floyd Alonzo McClure

     Walter Liese

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Ueda Koichuiro   1899 -  1991  (Japan)

Koichiro Ueda was a well-known Japanese scholar recognized throughout the world as one of the leading authorities on bamboo.  One of his most esteemed awards was the Order of the Sacred Treasure from the Emperor of Japan.  He was professor at Kyoto Industrial College and president of the Japan Bamboo Industries Association.

Of his many published works, these two books are outstanding:
Studies on the Physiology of Bamboo,KyotoUniversity Press, 1960.
Bamboo, by Robert Austin and Koichiro Ueda, photos by Dana Levy, Weatherhill Inc, 1970.

A highlight in his bamboo life was a special bamboo conference at the XVII International Union of Forest Research Organizations Congress in Kyoto (1981), with 33 reports and the Inauguration of his designed Rakusai Bamboo Park, a living monument garden using bamboo as a replacement for the deforestation around Kyoto due to industrialization.

Krit Samapuddhi    1911 – 1991  (Thailand)

Krit Samapuddhi was the former deputy director general of Thailand’s Royal Forest Department, and former managing director of Thailand’s Forest Industry Organization. He was instrumental in developing the forest village system.

The forest village system, developed by Thailand’s Forest Industry Organization, offers hill tribesmen and others who practice slash and-burn agriculture considerable inducements to settle down. One of its principal aims was to keep a steady labor force on hand for the long-term needs of forestry, while at the same time providing rural families with an income and other benefits from the kind of farming they choose to practice.

He published many books, including: The Forests of Thailand and Forestry Programs (1957),  A preliminary study in the structure and some properties of some Thai bamboos  (1959), Forestry Development in Thailand (1966), and Grouping of Thai Hardwoods (1972).

Biography of Krit Samapuddhi :
– B.F.S. School of  Forestry, Burma (Govt. Scholarship)
– Dip. For., Commonwealth Institute of Forestry, Oxford (Colombo Plan Fellowship)
– Cert., Timber Grading, Malaysia (FAO, Fellowship)
– Member  I.A.W.A., International Association of Wood Anatomists (Switzerland)
– Former Lecturer, Phrae Forestry School
– Former Deputy Director General, Royal Forest Department
– Former Director, ForestIndustry Organization
– Former Sawn Wood Audit Committee, Ministry of Industry
– Former Alumnus President, St. Gabriel’s College Association
– Honorary Committee, Wildlife Fund of Thailand
– Honorary Consultant, Thai Timber Merchants for Exporting Association
– Honorary Consultant, Thai Plywood and Veneer Association

Floyd Alonzo McClure – 1897-1970 (U.S.A.)

Floyd Alonzo McClure was one of the world’s leading authorities on the bamboo plant. Born in Shelby County, Ohio, McClure went to China as a teacher in 1919 after completing his undergraduate work at Ohio State University. He stayed in China for 24 years, working most of the time as professor of economic botany at Lingnan University in Canton. When the Japanese invaded China, McClure returned to the United States and became a consultant on bamboo for the United States Department of Agriculture. In the 1940s, he was appointed honorary research associate for the National Museum of Natural History, a position he held until his death in 1970.

Floyd McClure was instrumental in the introduction of  Tonkin bamboo to the world.  During his tenure as an instructor and professor at Lingnan University in Guangdong, China from 1919-1941, he assigned the scientific name of Arundinaria amabilis. Upon a visit to China in 1925, McClure was the first to scientifically describe the plant and recognized that it was a distinct and previously unreported species. At the time, this bamboo had already been in use for building fly rods and was known by a variety of different common names. The name was amended to Arundinaria amabilis McClure in the doctor’s honor and translated, means ‘The Lovely Bamboo.’

He is best known in the United States for his book, Bamboos: A Fresh Perspective, by Harvard University in 1966. McClure was a contributor to the USDA Agriculture Handbook on bamboos in 1961. The Bamboos is the classic treatise on bamboo in U.S. literature, with sections on the vegetative phase, the reproductive phase, elite bamboo species, and propagation methods, as well as interesting historical notes, photos, and illustrations.

Frederick G. Meyer, a colleague of McClure’s at the USDA, wrote this tribute : “ The many friends of Floyd Alonzo McClure were saddened by his death of April 15, 1970, short a few months of his seventy-third birthday.  Those who knew him personally lost a true friend, and the world lost a teacher and pre-eminent authority on bamboos, the tree grasses.  A former Chinese student likened McClure’s life to the villager, who, after gazing for years at the Great Stone Face on the mountain, became himself the person with wisdom, strength, honesty and solidarity like that of the mountain, the person the whole village had been searching for.  Bamboo was McClure’s Great Stone Face, and teacher of truth in the green plant world. ……..In fact, he died in his garden, digging a bamboo plant for a young friend.

Walter Liese – 1926-    (Germany)

If ever Germany was to have an ambassador at large for forestry, and for bamboo in particular, Prof. Walter Liese would eminently qualify for the post. His international assignments have carried him far and wide – from the lowlands of Bangladesh to the high mountains of Chile; from the humid forests of Indonesia and Vietnam to the arid zones of Nigeria and Tanzania; from the near shores of Portugal to the far shores of the Philippines. In his career as a wood biologist and forestry expert, which spans nearly five decades, Prof. Liese has stretched his faculties to their limits to become an institution in himself.

Walter Liese was born in Berlinon31 January 1926, when the Weimar Republic was eight years old and appeared stable and prosperous. His childhood and adolescent years were spent in Eberswalde, a small town south of Berlin where his father was Professor of Forest Botany. By the time he was seven years old, the Weimar Republic had collapsed and Adolf Hitler was in control of Germany. Like all other able-bodied German youth, Walter Liese was also drafted into war service at the age of 18.

At the end of the military service, Walter Liese pursued his studies. He chose forestry as his main subject, probably influenced by his childhood images of lush forests near Eberswalde. He studied forestry from 1946 to 1950, first in Freiburg in the Black Forest and then in Hann Münden at the Forest Faculty, University of Göttingen. In 1951 he graduated and began his career with a one-year study on root physiology at the Forest Research Institute in Düsseldorf.

The year 1951 added another dimension in the history of botanical studies in Germany. Although palms and bamboos were botanically known through their earlier descriptions by Linné, all palms were classified as bamboos. Their structural characteristics came to be examined only much later, through the efforts of scientists like Hugo von Mohl (1845), Schwendener (1874), de Bary (1877), Strasburger (1891), Haberlandt (1924), and Solereder and Meyer (1928). Then, for some inexplicable reason, the anatomies of bamboos and palms were much neglected. It was only in 1951 that interest in these areas was revived in earnest. As destiny would have it, the seeds for this revival were sown through a chance meeting under favorable circumstances.

In April 1951, Walter Liese had started working as a research scientist at the Forest Research Institute in Lintorf, near Düsseldorf. Dr Franz Erich Eidmann, then Head of the Institute, kindled Liese’s interest in bamboo. The discussion centered on the suitability of culms as pit props in coal mines. Liese, motivated by Dr Eidmann’s enthusiasm, carried out a series of experiments on the properties of bamboo for its use in mines.

Liese also had contacts with Prof. Bodo von Borries of the Institute of Higher Microscopy in Düsseldorf, who was part of the team that developed the electron microscope. The apparatus was still a novelty then and awaiting newer applications. Liese made good use of the transmission electron microscope to study the structure of bamboo, the “new” material, and produced in 1951 the first electron micrographs on the fine structural details of the cell walls of bamboo fibers. This was followed in 1953, while working at the Institute of Forest Botany, University of Freiburg, by another series on structures in the cell walls in bamboo. These achievements brought both the researcher and the research subject into the limelight.

Liese’s six-year sojourn (1953-59) at the University of Freiburg, where he had once been a student of forestry, launched his outstanding career as a wood biologist and bamboo scientist. The study of anatomical structure using advanced microscopy and other techniques, which began there as a curiosity that developed out of a chance opportunity, became a life-time passion.

The latter half of the 1950s marked the beginning of Walter Liese’s presence in the international arena. Before joining the University of Freiburg, he had spent one year working in the wood preservation industry in Mannheim. This experience in wood preservation came of use in 1957, when Liese was contracted by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to India to study and propose an impregnation method to preserve bamboo from deterioration, and in 1958 to work on wood preservation in Indonesia. In 1958, barely eight years after his graduation, Liese was already a visiting scientist to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Melbourne, Australia. In 1962, while working at the Institute of Forest Botany, University of Munich, he was serving as a visiting scientist at the prestigious Harvard University in the United States. Later, when his fame as a top-order forestry expert spread, many other universities – Berkeley University of the United States, Canterbury University of New Zealand, Nanjing Forestry University of China, Universidad Austral of Chile and National University of Taiwan-China — followed suit.

Although his primary vocation as a wood biologist and forest botanist prompted Liese to move to Hamburg in 1963, taking up the position of Professor of Wood Science at Hamburg University, bamboo remained a source of fascination for him. His enthusiasm on the subject attracted several young scientists, and some of them became his research partners. During the Freiburg years, Prof. Liese carried out seminal work on the histometry of the cell elements in various bamboos, with special emphasis on tissue composition. The Munich years also saw several studies being carried out on bamboo, not only on anatomy but also on the permeation properties of bamboo culms.

Prof. Liese’s research on bamboo anatomy peaked during the Hamburg years (1963-91) though he still continues to work as Professor emeritus. The first stimulus came from his association with Dr Dietger Grosser, who had the aptitude and patience to search for even the most minute details in anatomical studies. Together they presented an impressive array of  histological studies on bamboo — the characterization of the four basic vascular bundle structures, and their relation to taxonomical classification; variability of fibre lengths in bamboos; distribution of vascular bundles and the cell types in bamboo culms etc. Prof. Liese’s joint work with Prof. Narayan Parameswaran added a competitive depth to bamboo research. Their initial research covered the fine structure of cell walls, especially of fibres and parenchyma cells. This was followed by studies on the occurrence of warty structures in certain bamboo species, fine structure of protoxylem elements, and ultra-structural aspects of bamboo cells, culms etc. Much of this research remains to date the most important contribution to the subject. In between and after these fruitful joint research associations, Prof. Liese has made several forays on his own and published research papers of excellence.

Although enamored by the lure of bamboo, Prof. Walter Liese never allowed that to affect his other academic interests — wood biology, wood pathology and wood protection. He has delivered lectures in over 50 countries on these subjects, and has carried out research on a number of related areas such as: wood and bark anatomies; fine structure of wood; wood quality; wound reactions in trees and monocotyledons; micromorphology of wood degradation; physiology and enzymology of wood fungi; and promotion of wood utilization in developing countries. A prolific writer, Prof. Liese has to his credit well over 400 scientific papers (70 of which are on bamboo and 20 on palms, mainly co-authored by Gudrun Weiner). He has also guided 70 diploma students and 35 doctoral students.

Apart from teaching at the Hamburg University, Prof. Liese also served as the Director of the Institute for Wood Biology and Wood Protection, and from time to time as the Executive Director of the Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products. During the Hamburg years, and after his official retirement in 1991, he lent his expertise to several international and national entities, including: the FAO Advisory Committee on Forestry Education (1966-90); the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO — as President during 1977-1981 and in various other capacities from 1968 to 1995); the FAO/IUFRO Committee on Bibliography and Terminology (1964-73); the International Academy of Wood Science (as Fellow in 1966 and as Vice President during 1969-72); EUROSILVA, the European Research Cooperation on Tree Physiology (as Chairman of the Joint Steering Committee during 1988-93 and as Vice Chairman in 1994); Deutsche Gesellschaft für Holzforschung (as Chairman for Wood Protection during 1972-76); the Research Advisory Board of the Forest Research Institute, Malaysia (1989-90); etc.

Prof. Liese was instrumental in getting the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada interested in bamboo, and played an important part in the creation of the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR). He is often referred to as the “grandfather of INBAR”.

During his IUFRO presidency Prof. Liese strongly advocated and spearheaded the involvement of developing countries in the organization, and helped focus IUFRO’s activities more on issues of tropical forestry. He was instrumental in initiating the call for action on tropical forestry, which later developed into the IUFRO Special Programme for Developing Countries. It was also during his presidency that IUFRO turned truly international.

International recognition of Prof. Liese’s expertise in his chosen fields was never found wanting. He was accorded honorary memberships of the Philippine Forest Research Society, Finland Society of Forestry, International Association of Wood Anatomists, Indian Academy of Wood Science, Society of American Foresters, l’Académie d’Agriculture of France, IUFRO, Chinese Bamboo Association, Academia Italiana di Science Forestate, German Society for Wood Research, Polish Academy of Science and the European Bamboo Society, amongst others. In appreciation of his academic brilliance, Prof. Liese was awarded five honorary doctorates, including ones from the University of Sopron, Hungary; University of Zvolen,Czech Republic; University of Istanbul,Turkey; University of Poznan and University of Ljubljana, Slovenia. He also received numerous medals of merit for his achievements in forestry.

Prof. Liese is very highly regarded in Asian countries, especially China andIndia, not only for his research contributions but also for helping Asian scientists.
Although he retired from official engagements in 1991, Prof. Liese continues to contribute to the world of forestry with his profound knowledge and extensive experience.

Since then, 10 years have passed with about 60 additional bamboo papers and a book ” Bamboo Preservation Compendium” with S. Kumar as INBAR/CIBART  Techn. Rep. 22, 231 pp., many bamboo lectures and bamboo consultancies in Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Colombia, China, Thailand, Northeast India, among other activities

The World Bamboo Organization is extremely fortunate to have Prof. Liese as a member of its Honorary Council.  When he heard of the proposed 8^th World Bamboo Congress in Thailand, he heartily sent emails of support and offered to help.  He worked as Chairman of the WBC Paper Review Panel, and will be present to make an oral presentation entitled,   Bamboo as CO2-Sink—Fact or Fiction ?, as well as Chair the Session entitled:  In Partnership for a Better World.   We all can say with genuine sentiment to a man whose work has led to a better understanding of bamboo.  Fortunately, Walter Liese is here with us today; alive and well and a true bamboo pioneer.

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Dr. Nirmala Chongtham

In addition to her research into bamboo shoot nutrition, she is teaching full-time undergraduate and graduate students as a Professor in the Department of Botany of Panjab University. Nirmala currently leads eight Ph.D students, six of which are working on bamboos. She says, “Since we are broadening our parameters of research, there are so many things to do, setting up experimental designs and working them out. It’s a passion for me and I do hope that I am able to come out with something which will be of benefit to the underprivileged and society on the whole. “

“Our work on bamboo shoots is progressing well. We are concentrating more on bioactive compounds enhance health. Bamboo shoots are now being used for developing nutraceuticals. So maybe in the near future, people who are not familiar with eating bamboo shoots can just pop in a pill for health benefits!

Her participation at the 9th World Bamboo Congress was particularly rewarding to both herself and to all of us who came to know her. She sent a note upon her return to India, “Just to say thanks for all help and your cordial nature through which you are able to keep such a big bamboo family together! It was a great experience in Belgium and I was rather surprised at the response I received from the delegates after my lecture. I guess it was because it was concerned with food and health which are two very important aspects for all of us. It created a lot of interest for entrepreneurs and farmers because it was something one can start without huge investments. There are differences in priority areas between developed and developing countries and I can understand them more. I think this is one area of bamboo which can be strengthened more”

You can read about Nirmala’s work in the paper she presented at the 9th World Bamboo Congress in 2012 entitled, “Bamboo as a functional food“.

She speaks English, Hindi and Manipuri, and is a wonderful example of a woman who is determined to do good for humankind and enjoy it too!

Sakroots®

The company is partnering with like-minded charitable organizations, tying each organization to one of the artist circle prints. The bamboo print led to the partnership with the World Bamboo Organization.

World Bamboo is all about the global exchange of environmental, socioeconomic, biological, botanical and cultural aspects of bamboo. By bringing together bamboo people, our goal is to provide new partnerships and alliances to advance the efforts of bamboo knowledge. Bamboo plays a diverse and vital role in a wide range of markets – both traditional and newly emerging – relating to housing and household materials, consumer products, alternative energies, environmental remediation, medicine, nutrition and climate mitigation.

Alternatively, WBO identified the Fundacion Amigos de la Naturaleza (http://www.fan-bo.org) to be the sole recipient of the corporate sponsorship, which will come directly from a percentage of the purchase price of each Bambu print Sakroots products. The global publicity and promotion of both of our mutual missions will benefit greatly from this partnership.

About Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza

Fundación Amigos de la Naturaleza (FAN) is a non-profit non-governmental organization that has been dedicated to the conservation of biodiversity in Bolivia for more than 20 years. The organization’s work is characterized as science- based, technically viable, socially participatory, and administratively transparent. Its mission is to generate opportunities and innovation for the conservation of biodiversity in Bolivia.

Since 2005, together with local communities, the public and private sector, FAN is the main player driving the national development of “sustainable bio- trade”, a strategy that allows for economic development needs to be met in conservation areas without harming biodiversity. FAN is recognized nationally and internationally for developing and employing a wide range of tools for biodiversity conservation in Bolivia that allow for more efficient and targeted interventions.

Although bamboo can be found in the wild and be used as a renewable, reliable material, it’s rarely used in Bolivia. In 2010 Bolivian bamboo exports add to a value of U.S. $ 4,355. The products manufactured in the country range from handmade baskets, musical instruments, flutes and panpipes, rustic furniture and decorative items for home. These products are elaborated and commercialized in a local and not very dynamic market. Indigenous and peasant communities -especially the ones located on Guarayos, Ibañez and Ichilo provinces in Santa Cruz department- collect it from the wilderness and use it in traditional ways as the main material of construction of their homes. The local producers, indigenous or peasant, of the three provinces mentioned above, have a basic knowledge of bamboos versatility and its capacity to be transformed and introduced into the national market. Some of these initiatives apply sustainable management practices in the recollection and handling required by the product, but they lack knowledge when it comes to the preservation of the species in its habitat, and processes required achieving of higher quality for differentiated markets.

The alternatives and diversified potential uses of bamboo in Bolivia are vast. The Bolivian Amazon basin contains several species of it and they are widely distributed across the region, which makes it an abundant resource, but in practice it is highly underused. The potential to utilize this resource with a focus on bio-trade (processing, transformation and commercialization practices under environmental, social and economic sustainability criteria) are being missed. There are successful experiences in Bolivia with non-timber forest products, where peasant and indigenous communities have achieved an improvement in their livelihoods. Wild bamboo has potential to become another one.

World Bamboo Organization and Sakroots will work to raise funds for FAN to enhance and boost the sustainable use of bamboo for construction. The aim is to work in rural indigenous and peasant communities in Ascension de Guarayos, Buena Vista and Porongo municipalities of the Department of Santa Cruz. The bio-trade approach, conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of natural resources and fair and equitable benefit sharing along the supply chain, is the core of the proposal.

We encourage you to purchase Sakroots Bambu print products! Check out the website, and do some shopping! We hope this simple beginning of corporate partnerships helps not only to bring sustainable bamboo products to the market, but helps promote biological conservation, bolster traditional utilization by indigenous peoples, and promote sustainable bamboo development around the world.

The 2013 World Bamboo Training Course on Propagation and Plantation is postponed to August 18-28 from May 19-29, to make sure the participants have enough time to get visa and fund to attend.

The 1st World Bamboo Training Course on Propagation and Plantation held in November 2012 was a great success and so highly recommended by the participants that it is being held again to make it possible for more people to attend. We are pleased to announce that the 2nd training course will be held  AUGUST 18 – 28 [NOT May 19-29, 2013]. The course consists of Section A and Section B. Section A focuses on theoretical lecturing of propagation and plantation, with field practice in-between, as well as introduction of how to make value out of bamboo. Section B covers trips to a bamboo pulp company, bamboo plantations and bamboo botanic garden.

If you want to know:

1. How to propagate bamboo;
2. How to plant, maintain and harvest bamboo;
3. How to make value out of bamboo; and
4. How bamboo grows in Yunnan.

Join us in Kunming this AUGUST!

For more info, please go to: http://www.ynbambus.com/columns_detail/&columnsId=06423af6-530c-47a1-b500-e5ed8b65fe95&comp_stats=comp-FrontColumns_navigation01-topnav.html

or download the program at: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/75690012/2nd%20World%20Bamboo%20Training%20Course/Program%20of%202nd%20World%20Bamboo%20Training%20Course.pdf

or write to us at ynbambus@163.com

BOGOR, Indonesia (25 January, 2013) Easy to grow, even on steep, marginal land unsuitable for other crops, bamboo has the potential to lift people in rural communities out of poverty, but only if management techniques and trade improves, a case study in southwestern China indicates.

An estimated 2 billion people across the globe use bamboo on a daily basis to produce everything from household utensils and handicrafts, to scaffolding for construction sites, according to the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan. Increasingly, though, it also is being recognized for its beauty, durability and flexibility, turning it into a hot, internationally traded commodity, and making it a key resource for livelihood development.

But in some underdeveloped regions of China, despite ideal growing conditions, local access to bamboo stock and a thriving cottage industry, the potential is not being reached.

“Our research shows that smallholder cultivation of bamboo shoots can make an important contribution to household income and rural livelihoods in impoverished, mountainous regions of China that have limited off-farm income opportunities,” said Nicholas Hogarth, lead author of a recent Center for International Forestry Research report, adding that the 12 villages surveyed in Guangxi had little or no knowledge about proven scientific techniques to optimise productivity.

Few studies have been carried out to determine how policies affect profit margins.

“Much more research is needed to determine the full extent and potential role of bamboo production,” Hogarth said.

In such areas where off-farm income opportunities are limited, more attention should be given to improving the income of existing forestry enterprises such as bamboo shoot production.

CIFOR researchers collecting quantitative data from 240 households in Guangxi province found that forest-based enterprises such as bamboo production often represent the main, or even the only, industry and cash earning opportunity.

From a sub-family of grasses, bamboo is in many ways an ideal crop for the rural poor. Its clonal growth form, rapid growth rates and short rotation cycles, enables annual income generation, unlike the long harvest cycle for timber trees.

“This is a very important attribute given the limited size of most household’s allocated forest land area,” said Hogarth.

Bamboo also has less policy constraints and regulations compared to timber, authors of the study say. And, unlike timber, bamboo is relatively light and can be easily harvested and transported without specialised equipment or vehicles.

“Bamboo production does not require special tools, and there are many skills in bamboo production that are common to agricultural crop management – such as soil cultivation and fertilisation – that are easily adapted,” Hogarth said.

“Basic processing and value adding also does not require highly skilled labour or specialised equipment, and can be undertaken by low-income rural communities with minimal capital investment.”

China’s bamboo plantations underwent big growth from the 1950s, and experienced another rapid expansion in the 1980s following a series of conducive policy reforms concerning markets, commercialisation, land tenure and forest-use rights. This paved the way for increased smallholder investment in and management of plantation forests.

Farmers enthusiastically embraced bamboo as a new cash crop, and planted it and other non-timber forest crops on their allocated household forest land in preference to less-profitable timber species.

A fifth of the world’s bamboo comes from China, the FAO documents, with more than 600 species, according to a United Nations Environmental Program report: Information for planning conservation andnnanagennent in the Asia-Pacific region. And it is estimated that more than 90 percent of China’s bamboo is in upland areas, which is also where poverty is concentrated, the CIFOR researchers cite the World Bank as saying.

“A large proportion of households at the study site were living below the poverty line, and in many ways are representative of the persistent low-income people that the central government’s targeted poverty alleviation programs are trying to reach,” said Hogarth.

Bamboo has featured in many poverty alleviation and reforestation programs such as China’s conservation of Cropland Forest programme, in which direct payments are made to households that convert their sloping cropland in to forests.

However, most farmers’ knowledge about management is limited to small-scale plantings of “village bamboo,” and wild bamboo is used for domestic purposes rather than commercial production.

“Although important,” Hogarth said, “these kinds of traditional folk knowledge-based management systems are inadequate and outdated when applied to plantation production systems.”

Researchers said that half of the 12 villages studied had suitable conditions for bamboo cultivation but no commercial industry.

They looked at Nabi Township, for instance, where households have low-cash income levels and seemingly few options to make on-farm cash. Farmers in half the sample villages in Tianlin, the report notes, had little or no bamboo despite ideal growing conditions and local access to bamboo stock.

It suggests these villages may be ideal ones to introduce development-oriented interventions and bamboo-based poverty alleviation programs.

First, however, there must be more information on the contribution of bamboo incomes.

Hogarth recognises conducive forest and bamboo policies and programs that have helped promote bamboo development, but says there is also a general lack of quantitative data on the value of bamboo income – cash and subsistence – to household economies.

There also is a lack of information on the effects bamboo policies are having on rural livelihoods and poverty alleviation, he said, and if and how they could be improved.

“In such areas where off-farm income opportunities are limited, more attention should be given to improving the income of existing forestry enterprises such as bamboo shoot production” Hogarth said.

“Hopefully our research can be used to illustrate the need for more attention to be focused on the sector in terms of its role in rural development and poverty alleviation.”

This new publication forms part of the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry and was supported by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and Charles Darwin University.