The World Bamboo Day
September 18 is observed as the World Bamboo Day by the World Bamboo Organization, in order to generate awareness about conserving and promoting the bamboo industry.
Why Plant a Bamboo?
There are countless good reasons to grow bamboo, a fast-growing plant that provides many benefits in the home garden and beyond. Bamboo helps to keep the environment clean as it is a natural air purifier. Bamboo absorbs greenhouse gases and releases oxygen into the atmosphere. It is also a renewable resource that may help save the world’s dwindling forests.
A hardwood forest isn’t replaced for many decades, but bamboo, among the world’s fastest-growing plants, can be harvested in one to five years, depending on the species. Because of its extensive root system, prevention of soil erosion is a valuable bamboo benefit in many soil-depleted areas. It is well known as a poor man’s timber and green gold. Bamboo grows fast, is low on maintenance, and has versatile potential. Bamboo wanders, wherever human imagination travels.
How we celebrated the World Bamboo Day?
In conjuction with Mazingira Na Misitu, Ministry of Environment & Forestry, Greens of Africa Foundation,
Small Axe Environmental Youth Group and John King we celebrated the day by planting bamboo seedlings at Githurai 45 Riparian Park Gatharaini River in bid to conserve the river. Gatharaini river originates in the marshes of the lower reaches of the Aberdare mountains and flows through various populated areas. The stream is impacted by human activities along its channels and in its catchment. It passes through swampy and marshy areas, with subsistence agriculture and human settlement as the main types of land use. In the midsections of Kiambu, are extensive coffee crops and mixed farming.
In the lower sections of Githurai and Zimmerman, the stream is characterized by coffee farming, intensive mixed farming, and industry such as the Kamiti Tannery Factory. The lower stream waters are brackish and foul. In the past, riverine subsistence agriculture of arrowroots and kale was common throughout the area. Efforts to conserve and preserve this river are yet to be initiated and this is a major reason that Dedan Kimathi Foundation together with the organizations mentioned earlier and taken this bold move of planting bamboo seedlings at Githurai river on Saturday 18th September 2021.
We also acknowledge seeing how Githurai youths have done a tremendous job towards cleaning the Githurai River bank. We (DKF) further donated 500 ornamental #bamboo grafted seedlings to support the initiative.
God bless Kenya
