Material Innovations

“Bamboos, growing thick, standing single–put all your roots together and all is well in the mountains and rivers.” Sengai, 19th century Japanese Zen Master.

Bamboo provides excellent erosion control because of its extensive interlocking rhizomes or root systems, which bind together 85% of the soil approximately one foot below the surface where it is planted.

Bamboo grows well in flood plains, on river banks, and on steep hillsides. It can control landslides and prevent washouts, and thick culms keep flooded rivers within their natural courses and slow the speed of flowing rivers. It survives in places prone to earthquakes and serves as a windbreak as well.

The canopy of the grove breaks the rainfall. The mulch, created by up to four inches of uniquely shaped, fallen leaves, makes a dense litter on the floor of groves, greatly reducing rain run off, preventing soil erosion, and retaining twice the amount of water in the watershed. The mulch makes it easier for the earth to absorb and hold water. Harvesting of bamboo does not in any way disturb the topsoil. It is common knowledge in Asia to take refuge in a bamboo grove in an emergency such as an earthquake or typhoon.

Phytoremediation is a combination of the Greek word “phyton” (plant) and the Latin word “remediatre” (to remedy. It describes a process of using plants in concert with soil organism to transform contaminants into harmless and/or valuable forms. For twenty years, the potential for using bamboo for phytoremediation (phyto is plant in Latin) has been tested in Portugal, as reported at the VII World Bamboo Congress in New Delhi, India in March 2004; India; China; France; as well as in Oregon. To be effective, the pollution or contaminates must be within the plant’s root zone and must be bio-available. The research has been validated by Anvar in France, showing the removal of all visual, bacterial and smell pollution using bamboo. It takes in pollution and heavy metals all year round. Bamboo charcoal has been used in water treatment plants.

Rich Roseberg, an OSU soil scientist, has worked with bamboo collaborating with officials at the City of Medford sewage treatment plant. The bamboo can take up lots of sludge. He says, “Sewage effluent could be a valuable irrigation water resource, not just a disposal problem.” While waiting for bamboo to be harvested for building products, it can perform soil remediation.

Scientists and those researching benefits of bamboo; country, state, and city officials throughout the world; individuals living on river banks, steep hills, or on damaged or polluted land; are the stakeholders continuing to explore how bamboo can help control soil erosion and transforming contaminants into valuable forms.