Call for Papers

Bamboo is a versatile renewable resource that can be utilized to address global challenges such as poverty reduction, climate change, and sustainable development. By virtue of its fast growth, bamboo offers one of the quickest ways to sequester large amounts of CO₂ from the atmosphere. When treated and used properly, bamboo is a highly renewable and generally affordable material that can be used in every component of housing due to its strength, versatility, fast-growing, and self-regenerating properties. Thus, sustainable construction using bamboo materials enables underprivileged communities to earn incomes while also build stronger and weather-resistant houses for protection; all of this can happen with minimal environmental impacts and at a fraction of the cost.

Despite its vital socio-economic and ecological functions, the potential of bamboo is not realized in all places where it grows. This represents a serious challenge for the sustainable management of the resource in Africa, while the socio-economic and ecological benefits of bamboo have been generally well-harnessed in Asian and South American countries, notably China, India, Colombia and Ecuador. To improve the situation in African countries where bamboo is found, capturing and communicating experiences found in different parts of the world would be highly beneficial. To this end, a special issue of Advances in Bamboo Science, entitled A Climate-smart Bamboo Forest Economy for Sustainable Development, which will cover all aspects of research, innovation, and experiences is being prepared. We are interested in contributions that fall under the following themes:

• Innovative technologies and affordable bamboo housing

• Bamboo education, value-chains, and a sustainable bamboo industry

• A climate-smart bamboo forest economy: practices and challenges