The Potential of Bamboo is Constrained by Outmoded Policy Frames

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONThere is a disjunction between modern international forestrypolicyandtheneedsofmanypeopleindevelopingcountries.Recent international forest policy has focused on the impli-cations of tropical deforestation for climate change, biodi-versity loss and livelihoods. In particular the efficacy of theREDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degra-dation) mechanism has dominated international discourse.However, a keyemerging issue for many developing nationsiscontinuedsupplyoftimberandpulpresourcesinthefaceofincreasingdemand.Bamboopresentsapromisingalternativetoproducts producedbysilvicultural forestry(Hunter 2002).Currently, international policy focuses on forests as treedlands thereby marginalising bamboo forestry development.ThisyearistheInternationalYearofForests.Inthissynopsiswe argue that policy makers should take this opportunity toencourage a policy process that will accord bamboo equalstatus to silviculture in future international forest regimes.Bamboo species are highly versatile and rapidly renew-able, long been used as a timber alternative for flooring,construction, furniture, charcoal, crafts and food. Newtechnologies are extending bamboo’s value as a source ofcomposite fibres: for paper, viscose and rayon fabrics, andin the construction of wind turbines. The rapid growth ratesof bamboo (75–1,000 mm per day in peak growing periods)mean that it can be harvested more frequently than com-parable short-rotation silviculture species (e.g. Eucalyptus)(Kumar and Sastry 1999).Countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America areassessing their bamboo resources. Whilst authoritativestatistics are lacking, estimates suggest a global bambooresource of 31.3 million hectares distributed across 21countries (FAO 2010). China has the fastest growingbamboo sector: having increased by 54% since 1970 andnow standing at 5.38 million hectares (2.8% of total forestlands) (SFA 2009) worth an estimated US$ 11.8 billion(Dou and Yu 2008). However, of the 1,200 bamboo spe-cies, only 58 species produce timber, 18 are used for pulpand paper and 56 for edible shoots (Li and Kobayashi2004).THE MARGINALIZATION OF BAMBOOIN INTERNATIONAL FOREST POLICYThe potential of developing countries to develop theirbamboo resources is constrained by the combination ofbamboo’s ambiguous institutional position and the domi-nance of silvicultural forestry. The problem has at least fourdimensions: (1) Some forms of cultivation are governed byagricultural departments others by forest production, butbamboo is not ‘core’ business to either; (2) Historic policyframes equate forests with trees which seek to accommodatebamboo in silvicultural management logics and statisticsdespite it being a fundamentally different plant; (3) thepower and influence of western silvicultural science andpractice in international development; (4) the growinginfluence of market-based forest policy instruments, notablyForest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and theREDD mechanism, which are designed for trees and notfor bamboo. As a result bamboo receives minimal attentionby development agencies, research and development is