The hub has theoretical and practical components, and aims to promote regional participation in conservation, knowledge production and the sustainable use of Colombian biodiversity, based on non-timber forest products such as bamboo.

At the sixth Colombian Diversity Festival, with the support of the Bosques Andinos Programme, the Medellin Botanical Garden held the symposium “Experiences. Bamboo: A World of Biodiversity” on 24 May from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The event, held in partnership with the National University of Colombia, hosted 18 presentations by professionals from different fields, who addressed various topics such as: i) bamboo forestry, ii) bamboo as a plant that supplies inputs for food; culm conservation, iii) getting  fibre through complex industrial processes, iv) grinding up discarded culms and transforming them into ceramics, v) the inventory and study of diseases and pests associated with the Botanical Garden’s bamboo forest, vi) bamboo for building, vii) planting bamboo clumps for local use, viii) the potential for bamboo in Antioquia, ix) gaps and inconsistencies in the law on its use, and finally x) making an utopia come real: “A bamboo theatre in the Chocó forest”.

It was a short but productive day. The Bamboo Working Group also held an exhibition of its posters, highlighting the Group’s research, extension and teaching projects during its 30 years’ work.

There was also a small display of products at the entrance to the Restrepo conference room, provided by some of the speakers and artisans.

Taller de guada y bambú

As a complement to the Symposium, a workshop on methods for propagating bamboo was held of 25 May, to raise participants’ knowledge of the different forms of sexual and asexual reproduction in bamboos, mainly in Guadua angustifolia Kunth.

Finally, the Symposium highlighted the public interest in the subject, as evidenced by the excellent attendance at the event: over six thousand people were there to learn about biodiversity, a record for the sixth festival.

This took place 17-31 May, 2019 in Medellin and Bogotá and from 28 May to 1 June in Barranquilla. The general public had the opportunity to enjoy beautiful photographic exhibitions, film screenings, conferences for the meeting of scientific knowledge and art, and a variety of enjoyable gatherings for all those who had joined the pro-environmental movement to meet each other.

Sobre ColomBIOdiversidad

ColomBIOdiversidad is a non-profit event for promoting Colombian biodiversity, created and organized since 2014 by Envol Vert.

Its objective is to sensitize as many people as possible to the importance of biodiversity and environmental protection in Colombia. It commemorates International Biodiversity Day in Medellin, Bogotá and Barranquilla. It works by taking part in cultural activities such as conferences, exhibitions, environmental film festivals and workshops.

Bosques Andinos, iniciativa implementada en los países que forman parte del arco de la cordillera de los Andes, forma parte del Programa Global de Cambio Climático de la Agencia Suiza para el Desarrollo y la Cooperación (Cosude) y es facilitado por el consorcio Helvetas Swiss Intercooperation – Condesan.

Useful links:
Bosques Andinos Project, fact sheet, Swiss Embassy, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC
Web Bosques Andinos
Web Andean Forests
Web ColomBIOdiversidad
Instagram ColomBIOdiversidad
Facebook ColomBIOdiversidad