Taiwan's Forestry Bureau Revitalizes Bamboo Industry as Key Green Strategic Resource for Net-Zero

(Central News Agency, reporter Wang Shufen, Taipei, 12th) Lin Hua-ching, Director of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (Agency) under the Ministry of Agriculture, said today that bamboo grows quickly and is seen as an important green strategic resource under the global 2050 net-zero emissions target. However, Taiwan's bamboo industry has gradually declined, and he hopes to revitalize and promote it, bringing bamboo applications back into people's daily lives.

The Agency is hosting the "2026 Taiwan Bamboo Expo," which opened this morning at the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei. The core theme is "Bamboo X Good Idea: Daily Inspiration from Bamboo," showcasing the material revolution and future vision of Taiwan's bamboo industry in the context of the net-zero trend. Over the next three months, a series of diverse bamboo application exhibitions will be held at six satellite venues in Hsinchu, Taichung, Nantou, Hualien, Pingtung, and Yunlin.

Director Lin stated that Taiwan has abundant bamboo resources and a favorable growing environment, with over 60 to 70 species of bamboo, making it highly suitable for developing the bamboo industry. Furthermore, bamboo is renewable and grows quickly, positioning it as a crucial green strategic resource with high potential for sustainable applications under the global 2050 net-zero target.

However, Director Lin noted that over the past 30 years, although bamboo has been widely present around people's lives, its connection to daily life has gradually weakened. Early bamboo weaving and products have been relegated to traditional memories. With technological advancements, bamboo applications are no longer limited to weaving or simple utensils. Future possibilities exist in areas like bamboo shoots and bamboo fiber. However, the industry faces practical challenges such as labor shortages and the need for technological reconstruction, requiring continuous investment and integrated promotion from production, processing, and manufacturing to market application.

Director Lin said the first "Taiwan Bamboo Expo" was held in 2024, and the Agency decided to hold it biennially. This year marks the second edition, aiming to enhance the visibility and promotional effect of the bamboo industry.

According to Agency statistics, Taiwan currently has approximately 183,000 hectares of bamboo forest.

To revitalize bamboo production and industry development, the Ministry of Agriculture announced amendments to the "Bamboo Forest Production and Renewal Incentive Guidelines" this year. The incentives, previously limited to logging-ban areas on indigenous reserved land, have been expanded to cover all forestry land, significantly broadening the eligible recipients.

The Agency stated that this adjustment transforms the incentive system from simply encouraging logging and renewal to one that encompasses bamboo forest management, bamboo production, and industrial utilization. As long as economic bamboo species such as Moso bamboo, Makino bamboo, Long-branch bamboo, Thorny bamboo, and Giant timber bamboo are cultivated, they are eligible for incentives. This encourages bamboo forest owners to invest in management and renewal, boosting the overall supply of bamboo materials. (Editor: Zhang Mingkun) 1150612