Village bamboo preservation (1)

Why preserve bamboo? Preserving bamboo extends its life and maintains its quality. Bamboo culms are a natural material and will decay with time. They are also susceptible to insect and fungal attack. This will limit the useful lives of the products they are used to produce and may reduce the quality of the raw material to the point that it is no longer useable. How are bamboos preserved? There are many methods of preserving bamboos but they can be divided into two general categories; non-pressure methods and pressurised methods. Non-pressure methods allow the preservative to penetrate the bamboo at a natural rate. Soaking the bamboo in preservative and allowing the preservative to penetrate by capillary or wick action are the main non-pressure methods. Pressurised methods force the preservative into the bamboo. These methods are more rapid but require pressurised vessels and facilities that are more expensive to establish and run. What are the uses of preserved bamboos? Almost every bamboo processing unit producing large items (e.g. furniture, fencing, housing) requires preserved bamboos and preservation is preferable if bamboos are used for scaffolding. Preserved bamboos may also be required for smaller items such as household goods and farm implements. What is the role of a village bamboo preservation unit in rural development? A village bamboo preservation unit will provide income generating opportunities for local people. The preserved bamboo produced by the unit will be applicable for a wide range of uses and can be used to supply local rural bamboo processing units that can be established concurrently. The unit will promote the sustainable management of nearby bamboo stands to supply a regular quantity of bamboos for preservation. How do I establish a village bamboo preservation unit? A village bamboo preservation unit can be established with two or three US dollars for a bucket, or up to US $5000 for a pressure treatment plant. A “modified Boucherie” processing unit requires US $500 and other non-pressure methods are much cheaper to establish. Note that preservation is an intermediary stage in the processing of bamboo into useable end products. Knowledge of market requirements for the preserved bamboo is vital to ensure the unit can remain in business and some market research may be needed before establishment.Preserving bamboo extends its life and maintains its qualit