CNN iReport

Every year, the precious woods and forests of Nicaragua and many other countries are being cut down, slashed and burned, which makes it extremely urgent to find solutions and materials that can substitute wood.  Therfore planting bamboo ss a perfect substitute for every single known wood-application.

Bamboo belongs to the family of grasses and therefore is one of the fastest growing plants on earth. It is NOT a tree, but quite simply grass… In just over 4 years, it reaches full height and production capacity.

If we plant bamboo in 2009, we can harvest the first ones in 2013 and from there on, every year, without re-planting!!

Every Manzana with bamboo produces 30,000 liters of water/year and has an "underground network” root system, some 20 Km (12 miles) long. This same network protects and enriches the soil, gives life and nutrients to the top layer.

In 2013, we can harvest 20,000 Linear Meters of solid 6“ building material from each and every Manzana we planted in 2009. That generates a gross income of 10,000 $ / Manzana. Every year from 2013 on until 2113 …

Bamboo has been classified as having over 1500 different uses, including fences, furniture, laminates, music instruments, food products and every part of a building. Asian cultures have a saying that a man is born in a bamboo cradle and goes away in a bamboo coffin. Everything in between is possible with bamboo.

In South America, structures of the native timber bamboo "Guadua" are popular with both rich and poor. A good example is the work of Colombian Architect Simon Velez. He - more than anyone else maybe - has popularized the use of Guadua for house building.

* The USA last year imported US$ 2.6 BILLION in bamboo products.

Go to Planting Bamboo in Nicaragua to read the entire article.