In the world of forestry, bamboo doesn’t always get the credit it deserves. Dismissed as a weed or marginalized in traditional forest management, bamboo could actually play an important role in森林和景观修复. With adequate attention, investment, and the right standards in place, it could become a major renewable and sustainable crop—if we can update our outmoded view of it.

对自然资源的看法通常会塑造其使用方式。在这种情况下，竹子的问题可以追溯到18世纪和19世纪。现代农业和现代森林管理的出现改变了欧洲的植物管理方法。森林变成了价值为“木材”的商品，而其他植物则在“农作物”（有价值的植物）和“杂草”（不需要的植物）之间分配。

这种框架一直持续到现代，几乎没有竹子的空间。被困在林业，园艺和农业之间的某个地方，竹子并不整齐地融入任何类别。多年后，国际林业机构仍然倾向于忽略竹子作为重要的自然资源。

竹子：多功能，可再生和被忽视

This is unfortunate, considering the role bamboo could play in alleviating some of the demand on forests. In the midst of climate change and rapid global development, we face an urgent need to provide innovative responses to natural resource use.

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants on the planet. With approximately 1,400 species, it is highly versatile and rapidly renewable. Long used as a timber alternative for furniture,charcoal，工艺品和食物（以竹芽的形式），新技术正在扩大竹子的价值flooring和建造, forpulp and paper, viscose and rayon fabrics, and even in the construction of wind turbines.

然而，竹子的潜力仍然被掩盖outmoded policies. In order for bamboo to compete with established commodities in the global marketplace, it needs to adhere to recognized standards of sustainability. Yet those standards, such asForest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification, have fallen short amongst bamboo practitioners who wish to see bamboo recognized as having specific management requirements as a grass and not a tree. Moreover, because bamboo plantations are often in areas of low economic development, it can be difficult for farmers to shoulder the associated costs of a certification like FSC.

In response, theRainforest Alliance正在开发一个替代天然纤维标准，直到2014年3月17日，请接受公众审查。为市场上的竹农民创建可识别的，可访问的可持续性标准，可能会引发竹制工业的新开发。但是，如果该标准成为认证计划，则不能保证它将减轻第三方认证标准在小农中固有的重大挑战。仍需要做很多工作来为竹子小持有人创建公平的全球标准。

竹林和景观修复的潜力

竹子还可以在不断增长的领域发挥重要作用森林和景观修复（请参阅地图）。迄今为止，around 47 percentof the world’s potential forest area has been cleared or degraded to make way for crops, cattle, cities, and roads. The2011 Bonn Challenge呼吁政府还原1.5亿公顷of degraded and deforested land by 2020. As anative speciesacross tropical, sub-tropical, and some temperate areas bamboo could contribute significantly to restoring degraded landscapes.

WRI确定了20亿公顷的退化土地，提供了恢复机会。其中一些区域与竹生长区重叠。单击地图以查看较大版本。
WRI确定了20亿公顷的退化土地，提供了恢复机会。其中一些区域与竹生长区重叠。单击地图以查看较大版本。

Areas offering opportunities for restoration overlap with many of the world's bamboo-growing regions. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Areas offering opportunities for restoration overlap with many of the world's bamboo-growing regions. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

为了实现大规模修复, artificial boundaries of forestry and agriculture need to be assessed and landscapes viewed as “mosaics” – areas that can provide different functions. Globally,15亿公顷将最适合镶嵌恢复，其中森林，树木和竹子可以与其他土地用途相结合，包括农林业，小农业农业和定居点。通过在景观的部分地区种植竹子，可以将退化的土地恢复为生产性使用，从而减轻森林的一些发展压力。

已经，China’s growing influence in Africa, high demand for bamboo products, and management expertise could lead to more development of bamboo resources across the continent, with Ethiopia poised to“lead the bamboo revolution."Bamboo stakeholders have been convening in Africa to assess the potential of landscape restoration with bamboo. The State Minister for Agriculture in Ethiopiahighlighted“竹子被认为是该国山区和退化地区的造林和造林最重要，发展的战略干预措施。”

Case studies of bamboo restoration remain relatively small-scale, but some have shown promise. In Africa, the organization非洲竹子正在准备托儿所，以大规模修复用竹子的退化土地。在拉丁美洲，Ecoplanet竹子已经活跃尼加拉瓜, restoring 5,000 hectares of degraded pasture land. Likewise, in India,INBARcompleted a prize-winning竹修复项目, which turned a degraded mining area into green, productive land.

Of course, bamboo cannot be a panacea; there are still management and propagation challenges to overcome, as well as concerns that it is grown and harvested sustainably. For example,植物单一培养—like some bamboo plantations in China—can lead to increased susceptibility to pests and diseases, as well as soil degradation and a loss of biodiversity. However, if done correctly, bamboo can contribute to restoring degraded land globally whilst providing sustainable industries and livelihood development.

In order for bamboo to reach its potential for forest and landscape restoration,a number of key actions需要进行，例如：

  • Mapping areas suitable for bamboo forest and landscape restoration
  • 投资开发竹制产品的可持续供应链；和
  • 制定竹管理标准，以保证可持续的供应和生产。

History has shown us that the value of natural resources changes throughout time. It is time to reassess bamboo’s famous “weedy” reputation and evaluate how it can be used for climate change resilience and restoration. Today’s weeds can become tomorrow’s valuable resources.