Bamboo is:

• the fastest growing plant on this planet
• a critical element in the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
• a viable replacement for wood
• an enduring natural resource
• versatile with a short growth cycle
• a critical element of the economy
• an essential structural material in earthquake architecture
• a renewable resource for agroforestry production
• a natural controllable barrier
• an ancient medicine
• integrally involved in culture and the arts