Project: Integral Development and Industrial Use of Autochthonous and
    Introduces Bamboo"

Summary The natural formations of bamboo in Chile, are conforms by 11 species with a high degree of endemism. Chilean bamboo are different to the most bamboo in the world because are presented us solid canes, not hollow. This characteristic constitutes an important advantage for certain uses. However, these native species have been considered traditionally as a plague, and have a marginal use in relation to their productive potential.

With objective of transform these formations in an economic and environmental resource, has begun, in 1999, the project of R+D "Integral Development and Industrial Use of Autochthonous and Introduced Bamboo." The project, financed by FONDEF, is executed by the Corporation of Technological Research, INTEC CHILE and the U. Austral de Chile, with the participation of the Forestry Institute, INFOR and others government bodies and private companies.

Under a concept of integral development of the resource, advances are gotten in areas like studies of existence, volumes, distribution, forestry and handling, productive technologies, studies of markets, furniture design, normalization, technological transfer, management, international linking, training and diffusion.

The advances in the knowledge of the resource, indicates, in general terms, that only the species Chusquea culeou, exists more than 26 millions tons us raw material in foot, in anhydrous base, between the IX and XI region. In these three regions are concentrates 80% of the formations with industrial potential those that at national level cover a surface of 900.000 Ha.

In silviculture, has been experienced the best management of the resource on the base of different intensities and season of cut, type of fertilizers and vegetative reproduction techniques for national bamboo and introduced species. The recent process of flowering of Chusquea culeou, has represented certain difficulties in the installed plots, however it also constitutes an opportunity to study the reproduction by seeds.

This last aspect difficultly the research in bamboo due to their lingering periods of flowering and production of seeds that fluctuate between 15 and 120 years, being considered in 60 years for the mentioned species.

Information has been generated regarding the sanitary state of the resource, records of insects associated to the local bamboo, especially on Chusquea culeou, colihue and Chusquea quila, quila.

The investigation in productive technologies has contemplated studies of technological characterization of the raw material, on the base of chemical and mechanical anatomical properties, essays of transformation in pulp, paper and boards, studies in facility of work, elaboration of prototypes and essays in bio destruction and impregnation. These studies present promissory results, demonstrating the technical feasibility for the elaboration of certain products like, ornamental boards, particles boards, pulp and paper, and furniture.

A complete study has been developed on aspects of the current commercialization of the bamboo in Chile, surrendering information on: management, harvests, transport, producers, uses and prices, considered that the annual domestic consumption of bamboo overcomes the 5 millions of canes with a value near of USD 1 million.

The formulation contemplates business profiles, associated to niches of detected market and the proposal to make reality the sustainable use of the bamboo resource.

With the objective to contribute to the formalization of the national bamboo market, a Technique Norm is elaborating: Classification and Commercialization of Chusquea culeou canes. This norm will be subjected to the process of validation and formalization by National Institute of Normalization with the object to facilitate its promulgation, us an official norm.

The entrance of Chile us member country of INBAR (International Bamboo and Rattan Net) has allowed a consistent international linking that has been materialized in visits of missions of foreign specialist, execution of a technological mission of Chilean professional to Asia, and participation of professional linked to the project in seminars, shops and international fairs. The project has allowed 6 professionals to know experiences in countries like China, Japan, Thailand, India, Nepal, Colombia and Ecuador.

Inside the future activities the organization, is contemplated a technological mission with entrepreneurs and professionals, to know in detail the industrial activities that are developed around the bamboo in centers of excellence in some Asian countries.

In the technological transfer area, has worked with small owners installing an experimental shop, for the use of bamboo, in the locality of Paillaco, for the production handicraft and furniture. Groups of rural indigenous have been visit this shops so that they increase their knowledge on possible uses of the abundant colihue and quila that possess. It has been foreseen to develop courses of training for these indigenous communities, so much for their use as to generate merchantable products.

The project has maintained a politics of support research and development in relative topics to the use of the bamboo, carried out by students of different university centers and technological institute. In the last time they have been carried out or are in execution 7 works in this respect.

With the collaboration of the DUOC Institute of Catholic University shops have been developed furniture and ambience design, with local bamboo as raw material. In these activities participed around 40 studentes from the last course of these careers.

For the difussion of the results the project had used diverse processes like technical organization, chats, meetings with interest groups, technical bulletines, filming video for a TV program, construction and operation of web site " Chilean net of Bamboo", and projected the edition of a book us technical guide, when concluding the project.

With the generated results, and with the transfeence mechanism, diffusion and implemented training, is considered that the present project has contributed sgnificantly in the appraisement of the Chilean native forest, presenting new alternatives of sustainalble production, and environmental potential that traditionally has benn perceived as a plague.