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In the search for alternatives to wood fuel, to meet the bio-energy requirement of an ever-increasing global population, the International Network for Bamboo and Rattan has supported farmers in many tropical countries to establish plantations of Beema bamboo (a tissue-cultured clone from Bambusa vulgaris) and Oxytenanthera abyssinica for bio-energy production. The quality of these species as solid biofuels is unknown due to the absence of data on their physico-thermal and emission characteristics. Using the American Standard for Testing and Materials and other internationally accepted standards, their ultimate and proximate analysis, and physico-thermal and emission properties were evaluated. Beema bamboo and O. abyssinica have high Hydrogen, organic and fixed Carbon contents and low quantities of ash, moisture content, volatile matter, Oxygen, Nitrogen and Sulphur. This will contribute to their heating values and low oxide emissions. Based on their High Heating Values (Beema bamboo = 23.22 MJ/kg; O. abyssinica = 23.26 MJ/kg), the species will be suitable for high energy-using applications. The Particulate Matter and Carbon Monoxide concentrations (Beema bamboo: 90 ug/m3 and 2.83 ppm respectively; O. abyssinica: 77.33 ug/m3 and 3.20 ppm respectively) are lower than the threshold (35000 ug/m3 and 9 ppm respectively) approved by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. These properties make the species good raw materials for solid biofuel which is safe for indoor use. Their use will contribute to reducing pressure on tropical forests for wood fuel and the health hazards associated with fossil fuel use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alarming global deforestation rate has great impacts on the output of the Pulp and paper Industry since wood is the principal papermaking fiber material. Although, generally, bamboo is an alternative cellulolytic fiber source, the species and culm age have great effects on its papermaking potential. Based on the methods by the International Association of Wood Anatomists (IAWA), this work assessed the characteristics of fibers from the axial culm sections of six-month plantation-grown Oxythenantera abyssinica and Beema bamboo (which was cloned from Bambusa balcoaa) for paper production. The lengths of the fibers ranged from 1.89 to 2.39 mm while the diameters were 0.025–0.031 mm. The fiber lumen diameter and wall thickness were 0.014–0.018 mm and 0.004–0.006 mm, respectively. Fibers from the species had their runkle ratios below 1, slenderness ratios above 70 and flexibility ratios above 50. These characteristics compare well with the recommendations for fibers often used for the production of packaging, writing and printing papers. Establishment of plantations of Beema bamboo and O. abyssinica is encouraged as they will serve as good raw material base for the paper industry within six months of planting. Additionally, their planting will contribute to meeting Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural forests are disappearing in many tropical countries, resulting in loss of biodiversity and erosion of forest-dependent livelihoods. The maintenance and restoration of forests as well as a search for alternative natural resources that can concurrently improve the environment and enhance incomes of local communities has become crucial. Bamboo is suggested as a resource, which could substitute trees for socio-economic and ecological purposes in developing countries in the (sub)tropics. However, the relative importance of bamboos and trees for socio-economic and ecological purposes in bamboo-growing communities is not yet studied. Here, we present a study conducted to compare the socio-economic and ecological benefits of bamboo and trees from the perspectives of three bamboo-growing communities in the Wassa East District of Ghana. The compared benefits were ranked on a five-point Likert scale and significance of differences was tested at the 95% confidence level. For socio-economic benefits, trees were ranked significantly higher than bamboo for domestic energy, medicinal use and commercial harvesting; however, furniture, building and construction were not significantly different. For ecological benefits, bamboo was ranked significantly higher than trees for erosion control and riverbank protection. Trees, on the other hand, were ranked significantly higher than bamboo for biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and oxygen generation. The results imply that transforming bamboo into suitable products to meet communities' energy needs could alleviate pressure on trees in natural forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]