2010 INBAR Bamboo Tour to China

19-29 May 2010 to EXPO Shanghai, Zhejiang and Sichuan

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.

Twenty-two participants from 11 countries (Brazil, Britain, Canada, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Italy, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines and the U.S.A.) joined 2009 Bamboo Tour.

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

The bamboo study tours have attracted many attentions; hence we will organize 2010 Bamboo tour to China 19-29 May for 11 days to visit EXPO Shanghai (estimated 70 mil visitors), Zhejiang and Sichuan province. EXPO Shanghai 2010 May-October is the most exiting global event. If you are interest in the tour, please contact Dr. FU Jinhe (jfu@inbar.int). The cost in China is 2000$/person covering accommodation, food, transportation, domestic flight and entrance tickets etc. Participants should cover their international flight.

You could read the reports of 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 bamboo tours and see some photos of the tours. The itinerary will be available soon and below is the draft for the visiting.

All participants should arrive in Shanghai airport on 19 May and depart from Chengdu airport of Sichuan province on 29 May.

As part of it's participation in the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, INBAR is organizing a three-day Congress in Shanghai to coincide with its Honor Day celebrations at the Expo. The event will take place between 20-22 May 2010 within the Shanghai World Expo site, where countries, cities and international organizations are showcasing innovative ways to improve urban areas and the lives of the people who inhabit them. We’ll visit EXPO Shanghai 2010 on 20-21 May, the most exiting global event in 2010, there are also many places decorated with bamboo.

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 try to 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(more than 100 pandas!), world famous Dujiangyan irrigation system, 2008 Earthquake Museum, INBAR bamboo handicrafts training base in Qingshen and China Bamboo Weaving Museum, Strand Woven Bamboo company.

Tentative schedule

19 May Wed arrive in Shanghai

20-21 May EXPO Shanghai

21 May Shanghai-Hangzhou city

22 May Hangzhou city-Suichang county of Zhejiang province

23 May Suichang county-Lin’an county

24 May Lin’an county-Anji county

25 May in Anji county

26 May Anji county-Hangzhou city-Chengdu city of Sichuan province

27-28 May Sichuan province

29 May departure from Chengdu airport of Sichuan province

Please download the registration form and payment form here 2010 tour form and paymentFeb 8.doc For more information, please contact:

Dr. Fu Jinhe, INBAR

E-mail: jfu@inbar.int