By : Nurul Ezzaty Mohd Azhari
Photo: Mohamad Izrul Abdul Jabar
BINTULU, October 28 - Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus (UPMKB) has established the Bambusetum, or better known as Bamboo Park, to help increase the production of raw materials in Sarawak’s timber industry.
UPMKB Department of Forestry Science lecturer, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ong Kian Huat, said the Bambusetum project is in line with the Sarawak government’s aspiration to promote bamboo as one of the materials to help elevate the industrial economy of the state.
"The Sarawak government has identified four main products using bamboo for common use, namely for human and animal consumption, charcoal, handicraft and engineering industry.
"In addition, we would also like to explore new bamboo-based industries to diversify the needs and uses of bamboo further, thus developing the economy,” he said.
UPMKB’s Bambusetum project involves an area of five hectares – a collaboration with the Sarawak government through the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (PUSAKA) agency that started in 2021.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ong Kian Huat said to date, nearly 600 bamboo trees have been planted, involving 13 local and foreign species, and this number will continue to grow as new species are being collected.
"In the future, when the industry needs any bamboo species we possess, they may come to the Bambusetum at UPMKB to attain the plant material.
"The public who are interested to learn the uses of bamboo species can come here, and we are now building a path in this area as a park to help visitors gain knowledge,” he said. - UPM
