Bamboo Plantation

The bamboo industry in Ligao, Albay is fast growing as a major economic engine that would spur development in the field of environment and local economy.

The Bamboo Plantation is established on the slopes of Kawakawa Hill, a 236-meter high peak in Barangay Tuburan as a tourist destination that provides calm winds, fresh air and a panoramic view of Ligao City and beyond. Its summit forms a crater resembling a huge Chinese cooking wok ("kawa" in local dialect) hence its name.

Apart from kawayang tinik, the gene bamboo bank will have in its collection at least eight other local species such as anos (Schizostachyum lima), bayog (Bambusa merrilliana), Bikal (Schizostachyum dielsianum),Botong (Gigantochloa levis), Buho ( Schizostachyum lumampao), Laak (Bambusa sp.1), according to DENR regional executive director Gilbert Gonzales.

With these varieties, the bambusetum will contribute to the conservation of Philippine bamboo species and assemble a collection of temperate, subtropical and also tropical bamboo taxons from other parts of the world at one selected site.

“Our major concern here is the environment since our forest lands, mountains are now denuded while our efforts to restore these areas would take some time, we thought of planting bamboos in between the planted trees,” Mr. Gonzalez

It would also serve as Bicol’s center for bamboo information, training and extension and a useful facility for scientists, instructors and students for research and observation. In the near future it will be a source of newly introduced species for bamboo diversification purposes in watershed protection schemes.