Bamboo for deforestation-free products
Our climate project at Río Kama, Nicaragua
Afforestation in Nicaragua
Our project in eastern Nicaragua has planted more than 1 million plants of a native species of giant clumping bamboo, covering 2,361 hectares while protecting an additional 1,000 hectares of old forest as a conservation zone. It has transformed a degraded landscape into a flourishing and biodiverse ecosystem. Bamboo is one of the most efficient biological tools for fighting climate change. The project contributes to the mitigation of climate change by preventing deforestation and capturing CO2 as well as to climate change adaptation by creating micro-climates, supporting a low-carbon economy and creating livelihoods for vulnerable communities.
In contrast to cutting trees, harvesting giant clumping bamboo does not kill the plant. Once fully mature, selective poles are harvested from each bamboo clump annually, leaving enough time for other poles to regenerate. Thus the carbon stored within the bamboo becomes a permanent sink, with the bamboo clumps having a lifetime of 80 years. The bamboo fibre from the plantations forms the base for a broad range of sustainable, deforestation-free products like fibers or building materials.
Contribution to the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs)
No Poverty
Providing secure, attractive and long term employment in a region where few opportunities exist.
Zero Hunger
Contribution to soil health and diverse ecosystems.
Good Health and Well-Being
Medical checks for all employees, full-time nurses on site during harvesting season, awareness campaigns on good health.
Quality Education
Financial support of local schools and adult literacy programs.
Gender Equality
Equal opportunity employment and active encouragement of women's participation on all farms and through to senior management. Education through radio programs, community days and stakeholder dialogue.
Clean Water and Sanitation
Provision of clean water to all surrounding communities.
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Providing long-term employment with fair conditions and vocational training opportunities.
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Investment in clean technologies to disrupt industry through seed to sale sustainability.
Reduced Inequalities
Providing equal opportunities to all individuals, focus on overall sustainable community development.
Responsible Consumption and Production
Sustainable production of fibre as a base for deforestation-free paper products.
Climate Action
The project saves an average of more than 40,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.
Life on Land
Regenerating landscapes at scale, restoring the key functions of ecosystems: soil, water, climate, biodiversity.
Partnerships for the Goals
Our climate projects are building bridges from companies from industrialized countries to people in the world's poorest countries.
How does forest protection help fight global warming?
Forests, especially tropical ones, store CO2. For projects aimed at combatting climate change, there are essentially three methods for creating and sustaining forestry as a carbon sink:
- forestation and reforestation
- sustainable forest management (where the amount of timber harvested does not exceed the amount that can grow back)
- financial incentives for the protection of forestland as a carbon sink (the UN's REDD+ program), whereby the project owner must ensure that tree cover is maintained