Denpasar (Antara Bali) - Bali's Environment Agency (BLH) plans to plant bamboo trees in river basin areas across Bali, the agency's chief said.
"This November, we will plant 500,000 bamboo trees of various types in some areas in Bali," AA Gede Alit Sastrawan , head of Bali's Environment Agency (BLH), said here Wednesday.
He said the [bamboo tree planting drive would involve many government and private institutions such as schools, Non Governmental Organitations (NGOs), village administrations, and also the provincial administration.
Bamboo trees have many useful qualities such as the ability to absorb and contain water and improve ground water flows, he said, adding this was why bamboo was chosen for the river basin greening program.
Moreover, bamboo trees were also often used by locals in their daily life, namely as a food source, as basic materials to craft such things as chairs, tables, bags, multi-purpose boxes, traditional music instruments, construction materials, room dividers, etc., he said.
"Bamboo is also used in Hindu and Buddhist cremation processions," he said.
Bamboo trees were a very effective substitute for the vegetation lost in forest degradation or as they grow fast and are highly adaptable with the capability to restore water catchment areas, he said.
"Bamboo trees are easy to plant. They need no special treatment or much investment. They grow on any type of soil yet can be harvested every year without damaging the main grove," he said.(*)
