Bamboo, I do not remember our encounter at first
Weren’t you my cradle and water bottle to fill my thirst?
For school picnic, mom wrapped sandwiches in your basket
Hidden from the world, my gifts and jewels are still in your casket
Growing up in Nepal, bamboo has always been with me. Bamboo has been my cradle, basket, furniture, and racket. Later when I started my bachelor’s degree in Forestry, I slowly started to realize the services that can be derived from bamboo. The opportunities that bamboo can bring for communities, the environment, and the economy. Yet, I knew Nepal still has a long way to go to tap into these potentialities.
This realization was a wake-up call for me, to look for people, platforms and organizations working with bamboo. As I was exploring, I came across The Grow Bamboo Initiative, a global initiative to promote bamboo plantations to fight climate change and empower local communities. Through The Grow Bamboo Initiative, I got the opportunity to lead bamboo plantations in different regions of Nepal collaborating with local communities and government agencies.
As a forester, I know that just planting bamboo isn’t enough. If developing countries like Nepal are to expand the use of bamboo, then sustainable management and utilization of the resource is necessary. In Nepal, we do not have management guidelines for bamboo, one of many reasons why the country isn’t able to derive benefits from bamboo. This was a motivating factor for me to apply for the World Bamboo Fellowship.
Years passed and both of us are growing
Crafts, architects, fabrics, your identity the world is exploring
Once again dear bamboo you helped me rise
As a World Bamboo Fellow, you help me re-baptize
I was selected as one of eight fellows of the World Bamboo Foundation’s Fellowship 2021/22. The Fellowship supported me to explore the implication of silviculture management of bamboo on timber development in developing counties.
During my reigning year as the World Bamboo Fellow, I got the opportunity to travel and meet local and international bamboo experts. Whether farmers with their traditional knowledge, entrepreneurs with their creative ideas or technical experts with their recommendation, everyone throughout this journey offered me a lot to learn.
These learnings helped me shape my research, inspired me to serve as a bridge, just like bamboo that connects local communities to timber bamboo markets.
A key finding from the fellowship is that there is a growing interest and demand for timber bamboo promotion in Nepal. Further expansion of timber bamboo is only possible by building capacity in local farmers towards sustainable management of resources, supporting marketing infrastructure to enterprises, and building national policies.
I was able to present my preliminary findings at the International Union of Forest Research Organization’s World Day in September 2021 and will be presenting at the American Society for Reclamation Sciences Annual Meeting 2022 at Duluth, Minnesota. I am also looking forward to translating my research findings to research papers and blogs for both scientific and nonscientific audiences.
THANK YOU, BAMBOO,
For the World Bamboo Fellowship as an opportunity
That help me connect with the environment and community
With WorldBamboo, I will promote your sustainable practices
And build future with you that everyone cherishes!!!
THANK YOU AGAIN BAMBOO
I am grateful to be a part of World Bamboo family with my fellow researchers, experts and bamboo community working to build a better work #withbamboo.
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