The Bamboo Institute works with community bamboo groups across the country to plant, care for and harvest bamboo in a sustainable way.
Bamboo has strong roots that grow underground and spread out. These roots help bamboo collect water and stop soil from washing away during heavy rain. Because bamboo is a grass, it does not need to be replanted after it is cut. New shoots grow back from the same roots. At the Bamboo Institute, we usually harvest bamboo after four years, when it is strong enough to be used for making bamboo splits and products.
Bamboo can be harmed if people cut it too young, cut too much at once or if fires destroy bamboo areas. That’s why the Bamboo Institute teaches communities how and when to harvest bamboo carefully. When bamboo is managed well, it stays healthy, protects the land and provides income for families for many years.
