Taiwan is rich in bamboo resources, with 15 genera, 40 species, and 3 varieties found around the island. Among the 10 cultivated species, the six which have a greatest economic value include Phyllostachys makinoi, Phyllostachys pubescens, Bambusa oldhamii, Dendorcaramus latiflorus, Bambusa blumeana, and Bambusa dolichoclada. Bamboo is a member of the Poaceae family and is a monocotyledonous plant, meaning that it does not have a cambium layer. Thus, if bamboo forests are to maintain good productivity, they must be regularly harvested and renewed. However, due to aging manpower, rising wages, and increased operating costs in rural areas, much of Taiwan’s traditional bamboo processing chains have moved overseas or disappeared, so bamboo forests in Taiwan are often left abandoned.
Associate Professor Kai-An Lo from the NPUST Department of Forestry has been cooperating with the Forestry Bureau since 2019 to set up a Dendorcaramus latiflorus forest sample area for harvesting trials. In conjunction with related bamboo processing manufacturers at the Pingtung Agricultural Science and Technology Park and the machinery industry, he has developed bamboo forest mechanical harvesting technology which takes into account soil and water conservation on slopes. He also helped establish Taiwan’s first bamboo production forestry cooperative, provided bamboo harvest education and training to bamboo farmers in Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Tainan and Chiayi areas, cultivated bamboo forest management talent, and formulated technical specifications for cluster bamboo management and harvesting. Through all these activities, Kai-An Lo has helped lay the foundation for the revitalization of Taiwan’s bamboo industry.
The global fight against carbon falls on the shoulders of the citizens of the world. Surveys conducted by the Forestry Research Institute have found that the carbon sequestration capacity of domestic bamboos, such as Phyllostachys makinoi, can sequester 22.32 tons of CO2 per year if 18,000 bamboos are cultivated per hectare. According to their calculations, 8,000 culms of Phyllostachys pubescens can sequester 47.36 tons of CO2 every year, and it only takes 5 years to grow. For comparison, the annual CO2 absorption capacity of ordinary forest trees is between 7.45 and 14.9 tons per hectare. Foreign research (King, et al., 2021) has also pointed out that bamboo forests which are regularly and reasonably managed have a very good negative carbon effect. Thus, in the global effort to improve the problem of climate warming, bamboo forest management is a very important topic.
In order to overcome the problem of aging manpower in bamboo forest management, NPUST is cooperating with Pingtung Liano Biotech Co., Ltd. and Jyen Herr Enterprise Co., Ltd. to develop mechanical harvesting technology, such as on-site bamboo splitting machines, and to improve multi-functional harvesters and bamboo plyboard making machines. Meanwhile, the university is conducting matchmaking and assisting local government agencies with education and training. Through the combined efforts, they hope to establish a one-stop hub for bamboo production and marketing and bring added value to the bamboo industry.
Taiwan’s geographical and climatic conditions allow bamboo to grow quickly, so that it can be used for timber in 4 years’ time; meanwhile, it has a carbon sequestration capacity which is three to six times that of trees. Looking at the National Development Council’s 12 key strategies for Taiwan’s net-zero emissions by 2050, there are six which are related to bamboo, including energy, energy storage, energy conservation, resource recycling and zero waste, natural carbon sinks, and net-zero green life. Therefore, promoting the reactivation of the bamboo industry and the sustainable management of bamboo forests will surely bring about considerable benefits. Based on such considerations, the Executive Yuan also approved the “Emerging Bamboo Industry Development Outline Plan” (2022~2031) which was drawn up by the Forest Services in 2021. Under this plan, they will renew the management of 80,000 hectares of Taiwan’s 183,000 hectares of bamboo forests, conducting selected logging while also providing guidance on the processing and utilization of bamboo. In addition to laying a foundation for the revitalization of Taiwan’s bamboo industry, these projects will also contribute to 2050 net-zero transformation and help meet a number United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including goal 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 15.
