Mountain Bamboo

The Odo Bulu Mountains of Ethiopia support very large tracts of rare bamboo forests. Typically found in tropical climates where high temperatures and humidity provide more favorable climatic conditions, bamboo is relatively rare in the temperate climates of higher elevations. It is most abundant in the monsoon areas of Eastern Asia, very few species of bamboo are found in the former USSR, North America, South and Central Australia, or near the poles.

A member of the grass family, bamboo is a perennial plant with round, hollow, woody stems or culms. Most grass culms contain some amount of silica. However, the unusually high amounts of silica in the culms of bamboo make the wood very hard. It's leaf structure and size also separate it from the more traditional species of grass. It's leaves are evergreen or deciduous, and unlike other grasses, are supported by petioles or branches at their base. It's size is impressive. Most members of this group are giants with the tallest specimens reaching a height of approximately 100 feet. Growth of a culm occurs in a single season and can be extrememly fast. Rates of 88 cm in 24 hours or 25 feet in 31 days have been recorded in Japan and India, respectively. With average heights of 20-30 feet and with culm diameters of 15-20 inches, green mountain bamboo (Sinarundinaria alpina) is the primary species found in the forests of Odo Bulu.

The size and strength of bamboo culms have been factors in its historical use by humans. Utilization of bamboo has included fencing, construction, water harvesting, pulp and paper, food and foliage, and medicinal purposes. The hollow culms can also provide ideal piping for water. Bamboo stems can be used for scaffolds, oars, masts, and fishing poles and can be stripped and woven into furniture, baskets, and mats. Bamboo sprouts are eaten as a vegetable, and the grains of some species are also utilized for food. Bamboo is an important resource for the communities surrounding Odo Bulu where harvested bamboo is utilized predominantly for household goods and construction material.

Bamboo also plays a useful role in protecting against environmental degradation, especially soil erosion. Dense stands will form equally dense systems of underground roots that hold soil together and increase infiltration of precipitation. This helps to control flooding by maintaining the water table level and regulating the flow of rivers downstream. Over-utilization, clear cutting, or burning of a forest can depress its rate of recovery and compromise the stability and health of the ecosystem.

The continued presence of the unique bamboo forest in Odo Bulu demonstrates the local communities' commitment to its protection and conservation. Local villagers walk three to four miles into the forest to harvest the bamboo and use donkeys and horses to haul it out. These traditional harvesting methods result in minimal soil compaction and erosion. At the current rate of utilization, this practice does not pose a threat to the ecological stability of the bamboo forests in Odo Bulu.

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