WBC-VIII-Vol.4 – Resources – Forestry, Plantations and ... - BambuSC

Conclusions and recommendations
Forest mensuration methods are adequate for determining the growth pattern and the explicit dendrometric and
stand characteristics of guadua. Though these methods should be applied considering adjustments that depend
on specific features of this bamboo resource. Thus information from inventories will be reliable and useful for
making decisions.
For determining the effect of site conditions on guadua is necessary to define previously which variables could
be used to evaluate the response to factors associated to site. In this sense predictive models for culm length,
basal area and culm hardness show a reasonable goodness of fit and might be considered as response variables
to determine the effect of environmental factors on guadua productivity and quality. Thus, average culm length
and stand basal area can serve as indices of guadua stand productivity. Whereas average culm hardness is useful
to determine culm quality within guadua stands. Although, the variability in productivity and quality of guadua
could not be entirely described by the environmental set of independent variables measured, these results are a
significant contribution to know on the potential use of this natural resource in the coffee region of Colombia.
Combining harvest intensity and frequency is possible for establishing the best level of silvicultural
management, maintaining as a reference an adequate number culms per ha. For guadua plantation the
fertilisation of Guadua and the reduction of interspecific competition with herbicides, represent high possibilities
to increase the yield within guadua plantation. Nevertheless, now is required to study in detail this topic which
has been barely studied for guadua.
The implemented model for forest planning was useful to define land capability and also units of forest
management. Nowadays, government institutions can lead the planning of guadua stands based on this model.
Besides, the units of forest management are an alternative against drawbacks relate to fragmented pattern of
guadua stands.
Even though guadua bamboo forest in the coffee region of Colombia are highly fragmented, they fulfill
important ecosystems functions and provide environmental services such carbon sequestration and soil
protection that contribute to maintain the stability even within transformed areas (agroecosystems). Hence
strategies for ecosystems conservation or an adequate management of these forests should be implemented,
given that are almost the latter remnants of forest cover in this significant area of Colombia. Ecosystems
functions and environmental services are provided by guadua bamboo forest even under harvesting. Thus some
incomes and products are directly perceived by farmers and certainly, it could motive them to maintain areas
under guadua forest within their farms. Thus it would be an strategy that could contribute to the sustainable
development of rural areas upon the base of integrating production and conservation.
Acknowledges
The authors wish to thank to COLCIENCIAS for financing the Projects “Estrategias para el fortalecimiento y
conformación de empresas rurales con base en la Guadua (Guadua angustifolia Kunth) en la zona cafetera de
Colombia” (Contract No. 165-2004) and “Valoración de los bienes y servicios de la biodiversidad para el
VIII World Bamboo Congress Proceedings Vol 4-52