In our first personality photo collage we asked Filipino bamboo personality and authority, Edgardo C Manda (President of the Philippines Bamboo Foundation), to select 10 photos backed with a short description and share with us his work in bamboo over the many years of his advocacy.

1. My exposure to China's bamboo forest in Zheijang Province in 2018.  Excited and curious on monopodial species called Moso (Phyllostachys edulis) as sustainable raw material to produce various products.  Learned that this species thrives well in high elevation semi-temperate environment.

2. Bamboo forest establishment mentoring by former INBAR's Deputy Director General Professor Zhu Zhaohua in Baguio City, Philippines in 2018.  He recommended sisterhood engagement between Baguio City and Anji to pursue collaboration on bamboo forest and industry development.  This led to the establishment of Baguio Bamboo Sanctuary.

3. Guest Speaker, Comprehensive Integrated Climate Change Adaptation hosted by Climate Change Commission of the Philippines.  I pushed for and recommended bamboo to be used in the reforestation of deforested areas in the highlands of Benguet Province, Philippines.  This hillsides of the this mountain Province has been prone to erosion and landslides causing flash floods.

4. Demonstrating bamboo's role in the rehabilitation of abandoned mine sites.  This area is located in Mindanao the second largest island in the Philippines.  I have been lobbying for the use of bamboo in abandoned mine sites to provide livelihood in communities living in the area.

5. Crossing creek going to bamboo training site in Tublay, Benguet Province, Philippines.  Foresters being introduced to bamboo propagation techniques. The Foresters will then be fielded in a demonstration site introducing Phyllostachys aurea (fishpole bamboo) in an abandoned gold mine site.

6. Watershed community leaders being briefed on the maintenance of bamboo nursery.  Communities were encouraged to shift to bamboo livelihood.  This will prevent them from cutting trees to produce charcoal to arrest further watershed deforestation.  August 2017.

7. Photo collage of bamboo ecopark project formerly a marble quarry.  Objective was to develop it as a bamboo ecopark and learning center.  Village is 2.5 hours north of Manila in the Province of Bulacan.  May 2022.

8. Lubao Bamboo Hub & Ecopark, Pampanga, Philippines was established as a demonstration bamboo ecopark and learning center.  It became popular for local government benchmarking.  Through the years its charm spread as peoples park especially on weekends. Development started in 2015.

9. Bamboo carvings project done by local wood carvers out of Bambusa blumeana Kawayan tinik).  The project provides alternative medium for carvers to reduce dependence on forest timber.  Started in 2012 gaining support from local aficionados and collectors of fine arts.

10. Bamboo Sanctuary was established as a demonstration farm for monopodial ( running as opposed to clumping ) species.  Located in Baguio City summer capital of the Philippines, the Bamboo Sanctuary demonstrates capability of monopodials to prevent soil erosion.  Its popularity was recognized by local tourism office as another tourist destination in Baguio City.  Established 2012.

Edgardo C Manda’s Facebook