In considering the benefits of an expanding bamboo industry globally there is much good to be said of it. From a forestry standpoint, bamboo can be grown with no added fertilizers, pesticides or irrigation and can sequester up to 70% more carbon per year than a hardwood forest. Moso bamboo has an optimal five-year growth cycle and is selectively harvested by hand, eliminating heavy equipment that can impact habitat. Bamboo can be harvested without the need to replant, as it naturally regenerates annually. Due to a rhizome root structure, bamboo has the ability to hold loose soil in place, preventing erosion. Bamboo is a rapidly renewable and readily available alternative source of material for a wide range of applications. Uses and applications for bamboo are plentiful with new ones being discovered all the time. From its humble origins as an inexpensive raw material for building or fabrication of simple structures, furniture, tools, baskets, artistic craft and food source, bamboo now finds itself used for flooring, plywood, veneers, bicycles, fabrics and additives for both food and cosmetics. This has created new jobs in forestry, manufacturing, innovation and design, science and technology. Because Smith & Fong has worked hand-in-hand with local farmers, processers and manufacturers for many years, we are able to understand the challenges and the opportunities of the bamboo industry in ways few people can.