2009 INBAR Bamboo & NTFPs Tour to China

April 19-29, 2009

The background information

In cooperation with the International Center for Research on Agro-Forestry (ICRAF), INBAR organized 2005 Bamboo Study Tour in Zhejiang province of China during 10th-16th May, 2005. 20 participants form 7 countries (Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Rwanda, U.S.A, Vietnam and Thailand) joined the study tour and witnessed the achievements of Chinese bamboo development over the last 30 years.

As request of UNIDO, INBAR organized 2007 bamboo study tour 15-24 April in Zhejiang and Sichuang provinces of China. There were 18 participants from Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Australia, Malaysia, India and Netherlands, including Mr. Ahmed Nasser, the State Minister of Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Director General of Ethiopia Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency, Permanent Sectary of Kenya Ministry of Environment and Natural Resource, Director of Kenya Forest Research Institute and Dr. Coosje Hoogendoorn, Director General of INBAR.

3-7 Nov, 2007 INBAR organized also a bamboo tour in Zhejiang province for 4 ministers of INBAR member countries, CFC official and diplomats.

2008 Bamboo Tour had 14 participants from Australia, Ethiopia, Laos, Mexico, Kenya, Uganda, and the USA. The director of Kenya Forest Service joined the tour.

The Objective of 2009 study tour

The objective of the annual bamboo study tours is to share the experience of Chinese bamboo and NTFPS development and to promote bamboo and NTFPs development in other countries.

The Itinerary

The 2009 Bamboo & NTFPs tour will be arranged in April for 10 days in Zhejiang and Sichuan province, the best time to see bamboo shooting and enjoy fresh bamboo shoots.

You could read the reports of 2005, 2007 and 2008 bamboo tours. Please see the itinerary of the tour here(Schedule 2009 tour.doc) and below is a brief introduction to the visiting.

In Zhejiang we will visit some leading bamboo flooring manufacturers like DASSO (who produced bamboo fire-proof ceiling in Madrid international airport, which won 2006 Sterlinz prize. DASSO is producing bamboo veneer for 70,000 BMW cars’ interior decoration and 40m long bamboo wind turbine blade manufacturer), Yafeng(who produces strand woven bamboo lumber and floor), Yongyu(bamboo floor), Shengbang(bamboo concrete form, a supplier for 2010 EXPO in Shanghai), Xieqiang(bamboo curtain and mat); Kangxing bamboo shoot processing company, Shenshi Bio-product company(bamboo extract like flavonoid, bamboo beer), Wenzhao, the biggest bamboo charcoal company(charcoal and vinegar) and the only China Bamboo Charcoal Museum in the world, some primitive processing workshops(bamboo strips) on community level, Huachun bamboo furniture company, Jitai bamboo processing machine company and Anji bamboo product market(hundreds bamboo products including bamboo clothes). We will also visit the biggest bamboo botanic garden in the world, Anji Bamboo Garden, which has more than 300 bamboo species plus two giant pandas, and Chinese Bamboo Museum in this garden; High-yield bamboo plantation, bamboo film production base (Hidden the Dragon and Crouch the Tiger, Banquet etc)and eco-tourism sites, ornamental bamboo nursery, Baisha eco-tourism village, some companies and communities for NTFPs like ginkgo, hickory and traditional dry bamboo shoot, Hangzhou West Lake and China Silk Museum in Hangzhou. We visited some bamboo research institutions like Zhejiang Forestry College(visiting bamboo products showroom, bamboo charcoal, bamboo tissue culture lab).

We will try to arrange dialogues with local politicians and experts on bamboo sector policies and technology, which encourage the enterprisers to invest in other bamboo production countries like Africa and Asia and America etc.

In Sichuan province, we will visit Wangjiang bamboo park (near 200 tropical bamboo species), Living Water Park(which shows waster water treatment by plants and biotechnology and won UNEP award), Chengdu Giant Panda Center, world famous Dujiangyan irrigation system, INBAR bamboo handicrafts training base in Qingshen and China Bamboo Weaving Museum, bamboo pulp and paper company.

Contact

If you are interest in the tour, please fill in the form (2009 tour form and payment.doc) and send to Dr. FU Jinhe before March 20.  After INBAR get your payment, you will get an invitation letter for your visa application at the China embassy in your country. Please note that your arrival airport is Hangzhou airport in Zhejiang province and departing airport is Chengdu airport in Sichuan province.

Cost

The cost in China is 1600$/person covering accommodation, food, transportation, domestic flight etc. Participants should cover their international flight.