What is a bamboo?

Bamboos, commonly grown as woody bamboos, belong to the Gramineae, and form the tribe Bambuseae of the subfamily Bambusoideae. They often have a tree-like habit and can be characterized as having woody, usually hollow culms, complex rhizome and branch systems, petiolate leaf blades and prominent sheathing organs. Moreover, all members possess similar anatomical features in the leaf blades, i.e. fusoid cells and arm cells, which set the bamboos apart from grasses. In tropical Asia and America, several members of this tribe grow into giant bamboos, which are a familiar sight in rural South-East Asia.

Bamboo is frequently confused with rattan and its derived product cane. Bamboo furniture is often referred to as rattan or cane furniture, and vice versa. However, the products are very different. Bamboos, with very few exceptions, have hollow stems which cannot be bent easily unless split. Rattans and canes are always solid and flexible, and belong to the Palmae.

Introduction

The term underutilised indigenous fruit trees (UIFT) refers to fruit bearing trees that are not highly researched and which are generally ignored by the commercial sector. Little research has been carried out on these species and information documented about their basic biology, growing habits, management practices, processing and utilisation is scant and scattered. Research is often carried out by isolated groups with their findings restricted to academic journals, and dissemination of information to a wider audience is poor.

Nevertheless, UIFT are an important source of food and nutrition, and contribute to the income of rural and urban people through the marketing of their products. They are grown mainly in home gardens and small farms and resource poor people, particularly tribal people, also gather wild fruits from the forests and other noncultivated areas for their multipurpose uses. Women often play a major role in the gathering of UIFT (Ruiz Pérez et al. 1997) and are frequently involved in decisions about the sale of the fruits and their products. The extra income from the fruits is often spent on education, nutrition and health, and controlled by the women who gain greater respect from their families and communities through these activities.

Introduction

Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) play an important role in the healthcare of people around the world, especially in developing countries. Until the advent of modern medicine, man depended on plants for treating human and livestock diseases. Human societies throughout the world have accumulated a vast body of indigenous knowledge over centuries on medicinal uses of plants, and for related uses including as poison for fish and hunting, purifying water, and for controlling pests and diseases of crops and livestock. About 80% of the population of most developing countries still use traditional medicines derived from plants for treating human diseases (de Silva 1997). China, Cuba, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and a few other countries have endorsed the official use of traditional systems of medicine in their healthcare programs. For example, the Indian systems of medicine "Ayurveda," "Sidha" and "Unani" entirely, and homeopathy to some extent, depend on plant materials or their derivatives for treating human ailments (Prajapati et al. 2003). People in villages and remote areas primarily depend on traditional medicines as the modern system is out of reach and expensive. Many among the educated in Asian and African countries use traditional medicines for reasons of firm belief that they are more effective than modern medicine for certain chronic diseases, they do not have side effects of some of the modern medicines, and/or for economic reasons. Thus, in many societies, traditional and modern systems of medicines are used independently.

Introduction

Farmers commonly plant trees on farms or community lands to grow products that satisfy household needs and market demands. Non-government organizations (NGOs) often support farmers' tree-planting efforts. Tree seed, a key input that determines the success of any tree planting activity, is often in short supply. As a result, farmers and NGOs use whatever seed is available, regardless of its quality.

In most countries good quality tree seed is not readily available for a number of reasons, including:

• A lack of awareness concerning the importance of seed quality.
• Limited quantities of good quality seed are available; and government agencies, researchers and forest industry control access to this seed.
• Limited areas of forests and plantations exist that produce good quality seed (seed producing areas are called seed sources').
• The genetic quality of forests is often degraded because the best quality trees have been harvested, leaving only poorer quality trees available for seed collection.
• Collectors, dealers and other workers in the tree seed sector have limited training and inadequate facilities to produce, handle and store seed properly.
• A lack of cooperation between governmental agencies at the community level to improve the availability and utilization of quality seed.
• No labeling or certification systems exist to provide adequate information (to the farmers and NGOs) concerning the origin and quality of the tree seed that is available.
• No premium is paid for better quality tree seed.

Introduction

A great deal of research is underway to assess and characterize biodiversity and associated resource management systems. This research yields information critical to the design of conservation programmes and national strategies for biodiversity conservation and furthers scientific understanding of threatened ecosystems. However, researchers and research institutions generally regard the scientific process as complete once an article is sent to press. The result is that most information and scientific understanding generated by researchers remains in the hands of scientists, academics and policy-makers geographically and conceptually distant from the region of study. Rarely are research programmes designed in a way that incorporates the resource management needs of local groups, nor are results put in a form that communities can employ when making resource management decisions. And yet, local groups are widely considered key stewards and stakeholders in biodiversity and forest conservation today.

Introduction

Trees are the tallest, most massive, longest-living organisms ever to grow on earth.

Trees, like other plants, cannot move. However, trees, unlike other plants are big, woody and perennial, which means they are easy targets for living and nonliving agents that could cause injuries. Trees cannot move away from potentially destructive conditions. Wounding agents and destructive conditions do destroy trees, but somehow, trees have grown in ways that give them super survival powers.

The big question is, how do trees do it?

The answer lies in concepts of biology and mechanical engineering.

This article examines the question of tree survival power more from the concepts of biology, but also to be aware of concepts of mechanical engineering. Details on all subjects given here are in my books.

Because different disciplines often use similar terms that have different meanings for their work, it is important to start with some definitions of terms I will use. You may not accept my definitions, but you will know what I mean when I use a term. I believe if a person cannot define a term in 25 words or less, they should not use it because they probably do not understand it.