Revisiting Bamboo for Europe
In recent years there has been a rapidly increasing interest in bamboo cultivation in Europe, as source of raw material for various industries.
Twenty five years ago, from 1996-1999, the EU-funded program Bamboo for Europe brought together 9 partners from Belgium, Germany, France, Wales, Spain and Portugal.
The main focus was to study all possible aspects of a large scale introduction of bamboo in Europe and a plant for agriculture, forestry or agroforestry. It sought to address the whole chain, from young plant production, field establishment, growth and development, mechanical harvesting and storage, to main biomass usage, including wood industry and bioenergy. The project generated a body of knowledge, relevant for today. An overview will include the main findings, the lessons learned, later developments, some main challenges and some major opportunities.
Author: Johan Gielis
Affilitation: University of Antwerp, Department of Biosciences Engineering.