susannelucas@gmail.com

Susanne Lucas is the Founder and Executive Director of the World Bamboo Organization, where she champions the global promotion of bamboo as a vital natural resource. With a professional background in horticulture, she has spent decades working in landscape design and garden development. Her journey with bamboo began through her appreciation of its beauty, which soon expanded to a deep understanding of its global applications. Bamboo, she believes, offers solutions to some of the world's most pressing issues, including environmental degradation, economic development, climate change mitigation, affordable housing, sustainable construction, and biofuel production.

Susanne holds a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture from Colorado State University and has served as a director and past president of the American Bamboo Society. She was also a board member of the International Plant Propagators Society Eastern Region. Her expertise in bamboo spans over 30 years, and her work includes publishing numerous articles on ornamental bamboo, as well as authoring the book Bamboos, published by Reaktion Press in 2013, which was also published in the Japanese language. Reaktion Press is re-publishing this popular book in a paperback form, available in October 2024.

Her extensive experience with bamboo includes the identification, propagation, cultivation, and maintenance of a wide range of species, both in the wild and in cultivation. Susanne's research and travel over the past three decades have reinforced her conviction that bamboo is unmatched in its environmental benefits and its potential for sustainable development, as she is equally passionate about bamboo's role in supporting ecosystems and its ability to drive economic growth and alleviate poverty in communities around the world.

In addition to her leadership roles, Susanne has organized and participated in numerous international events, symposia, and workshops, building a vast network of professionals in the bamboo sector. Her skills in leadership, writing, and organization are evident in her work chairing international organizing committees for World Bamboo Congresses in Delhi, Bangkok, Antwerp, Korea, Mexico, and Taiwan.

As she continues to work as an advocate for bamboo, she is committed to inspiring the next generation to harness bamboo's power for a sustainable future. She lives near Boston, Massachusetts USA.