National Bamboo Project of Costa Rica
Encyclopedia
The National Bamboo Project of Costa Rica was established in 1986 with the dual aims of reducing deforestation
by means of replacing timber
with bamboo
as a primary building material and providing low cost housing for Costa Rica
's rural poor. By cultivating and building with an indigenous form of giant bamboo called Guadua
, the National Bamboo Project was able to raise thousands of new homes for the poor, benefit the environment, and advance bamboo-based building technology.
In 1995, the National Bamboo Project was handed over to the FUNBAMBU Foundation to maintain and continue the project's mission of creating low-cost bamboo housing.
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
by means of replacing timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
with bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
as a primary building material and providing low cost housing for Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
's rural poor. By cultivating and building with an indigenous form of giant bamboo called Guadua
Guadua
Guadua is a Neotropics genus of thorny clumping bamboo, ranging from moderate to very large species. Physically, Guadua angustifolia is noted for being the largest Neotropics bamboo. The genus is similar to Bambusa and is sometimes included in Bambusa...
, the National Bamboo Project was able to raise thousands of new homes for the poor, benefit the environment, and advance bamboo-based building technology.
In 1995, the National Bamboo Project was handed over to the FUNBAMBU Foundation to maintain and continue the project's mission of creating low-cost bamboo housing.