Bambusa spinosa: a switch for environmental sustainability

By Erika Carmela Inovero

“A city in bloom, in blossom, and in boom” – For quite a number of years, this slogan have upheld the undeniable prosperity of Cagayan de Oro. However, as industries and infrastructures continuously rise and as modernization envelopes the city, will we still be able to attend to the needs of mother nature? Or perhaps, will the future still witness a greener and cleaner environment than the past?

Sprouting earthlings

In spite of the fast growing commercial spots in the city, there are still those who stick to traditional farming as their way of living, just like Mr. and Mrs. Roel Gayla.

The couple are locals of Barangay Pagatpat, Cagayan de Oro City. Even with the advent of widespread commercialism, they still preferred to grow bamboo in their area in Pagatpat. The same goes with their relatives, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Gayla. Both couples are farmers and members of the Kulago Farmer’s Association (KFA) – a Community-Based Forestry Management People’s Organization (CBFM-PO) in Barangay Pagatpat. From their ancestors to the present members of the Gayla family, farming has already been their profession, passion, happiness and above all, source of food, furniture, and income.

“Sugod bata pako kalipay na nako ang pagtanom-tanom og pagsaka-saka sa bukid bisag unsa pa kainit, kalisod og maski gabagyo pagyud”, Mr.Roel shared.

The Gayla farmers are some of the pioneering planters of bamboo in their area for more than seven years now. Mr. Roel has 6,800 square meters farm area where he is growing more than 50 bamboo shoots or poles. While Mr. Victor on the other hand, has more than 2,000 square meters farm area where some of his plants are bamboo. Thus, both of them sell bamboo poles, materials, and furniture. Furthermore, Mr. Victor as President of KFA, does his best to help and share something to his co-farmers, as well as representing and defending their rights to their agricultural lands.

Uncharted hardship

From the shortage of paper to the agricultural lands and depleting ozone layer, the world has many problems today. Perhaps the environmental crisis' at hand have not yet touched the Filipinos’ lives, but everyone knows that time is shortly to come. Whether it has only begun to affect us directly or indirectly, recent NASA reports of a 60% loss of ozone over the arctic provide an explanation for increased severity in the worlds weather patterns. The social, political and economic implications are difficult to imagine as our ozone layer continues to become thinner than ever, forests disappear and desertization is occurring at an alarming rate.

In, Cagayan de Oro, environmental concerns increase each day. Although the city is flourished with the gift of abundant natural resources, such as its mountains which are said to protect the city from floods and landslides, the claimed fact was defied when the city was struck with great flood that swayed almost every corner of Cagayan de Oro. Many Kagay-anons were greatly affected by the so called typhoon Sendong. Millions of livelihoods were destroyed; schools, especially public elementary were greatly devastated. Buildings and houses near the seashore and riverbanks were damaged, or worst destroyed. The said phenomena alarmed the Kagay-anons, but why did it happened?

Due to the continuous booming of the city, a huge percentage of the mountains and forests were turned into commercial spots like subdivisions and recreational parks. Hence, numerous factories and vehicles continue to boost that resulted more pollution in Cagayan de Oro caused by smoke and garbage all over. Furthermore, solid waste management is said to be the number one problem in the city’s environment. In fact, many of the settlers lack knowledge when it comes to proper segregation of the garbage and even proper disposal of personal trash is an issue. These may seem to be just a little factor for many of those with little knowledge of such problems, but for those who really sees its great impact to the environment, all of the environmental problems mentioned above are literally huge. Yes, such a sad reality to swallow, especially for Kagay-anons. But then, just thinking of the problem would not be a help. Thus, action and solution must be done rather than being a part of the growing problem.

Significance of a substance

While science is trying to discover a new way to fight many problems, there has been a reasonable solution since the dawn of man. Bambusa spinosa or a giant grass popularly known as bamboo or ‘kawayan’, is not new to the Philippine vicinity; however, not everyone sees its actual importance such as its environmental friendly characteristics and its use as substitutions for various situations.

In spite of the simple appearance of a bamboo, it has tons of special uses. The extraordinary capacity of bamboo to yield a wide range of products lends itself well to inclusion of Cagayan de Oro’s prosperity. Of bamboo’s many potential yields and applications, the most significant that Kagay-anons benefit include: domestic use, commercial production, ornamental, landscape and conservation uses.

Furthermore, benefits for the farmers include: wider economic opportunity, increased habitat for beneficial species, and lower management costs. It has been sustainably useful because it is a fast growing and self-generating resource that continuously spread everywhere. Thus, contributing to the fast growing economy and ecology of Cagayan de Oro.

On the other hand, bamboo is a multipurpose plant not only for economic values but also for great ecological benefits. Bamboos are habitat for numerous species. For the human environment, it provides shade, wind break, acoustical barriers, and aesthetic beauty aside from shelter, food, and furniture. Thus, it is an exquisite component of landscape design. It also protects the environment and cleanses the air. In addition, below ground bamboo biomass makes up 25-50% of the total stock. Carbon content comprises usually about 50% of the total biomass, while some bamboo can sequester up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide from the air per hectare. Research shows that it absorbs more amount of carbon dioxide than other plants and then generates, converts and releases 35% more oxygen compared to other trees. It also decreases light intensity and protects man against ultraviolet rays.

Moreover, it serves as a peerless erosion control agent. Its net like root system creates an effective mechanism for watershed protection, stitching the soil together along fragile riverbanks, deforested areas, and in places prone to earthquakes or mud slides. Because of their wide-spreading root system, uniquely shaped leaves, and dense litter on the forest floor, the sum of stem flow rate and canopy intercept of bamboo is 25% which means that bamboo greatly reduces rain run off, preventing massive soil erosion and keeping up to twice as much water in the watershed. Henceforth, bamboo is a pioneering plant and can be grown in soil damaged by overgrazing and poor agricultural techniques.

Indeed, it is one of the most important non-wood forestry products and agricultural plant in the world that Cagayan de Oro also needs.

Projects to progress

The benefits of bamboo in rehabilitation of degraded forest lands, afforestation, biomass generation, carbon sequestration, erosion prevention and watershed protection are well documented, but better management and production systems are needed. Fortunately, the Local Government of Cagayan de Oro, along with other officials from government and private sectors, as well as with the locals of Barangay Pagatpat, crafted a project entitled “Application and piloting sustainable ENR technologies in the rehabilitation of typhoon affected upland and coastal areas”. The project is currently working on establishing a one hectare bamboo plantation and one hectare agroforestry plantation in the said barangay.

According to Rosalia B. Acub, research leader of the said project, “Bamboo and agro-forestry technologies have been proven and tested as potential sources of livelihood options and can rehabilitate denuded CBFM areas.”

On the other hand, as quoted in SunStar, City Mayor Oscar Moreno said that “Bamboo plantation project does not only mitigate the impact of environmental degradation, especially soil erosion along riverbanks, but it also provides good opportunity for livelihood to the farmers in the area.”

Life is innately indeed filled with a myriad of growth, evolution, progress and development. As human beings, we must move together upon intervening and designing our fate to achieve progress not only within ourselves but also with the environment, community, city, and country as a whole. The society is spelling out alternatives nowadays, it is our responsibility to choose and probably change for the betterment of the present and future.

References:

*http://www.bamboonetwork.org/about-bamboo.html

*http://bamboocentral.org/whybamboo.html

*http://carlbryanpontillas.blogspot.com/2011/05/environmental-issues-and-concerns-in.html

*http://www.pcaarrd.dost.gov.ph/home/momentum/bamboo/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1312:growing-bamboo-for-money-and-healthy-environment&catid=118&Itemid=5