Highland bamboo as part of Agroforestry practice is planted and managed by farmers in various plantation niches. However, the planation niches which are types of management on the productivity of bamboo is not yet understood. The research evaluates the impact of plantation niches on the productivity of highland bamboo in potential bamboo growing areas of West Amhara, Ethiopia. Farta, Banja, Dega Damot, and Sinan districts were selected for the study to represent potential highland bamboo growing areas in West Amhara. In each district, three kebeles (smaller administrative units in Ethiopia) were also selected based on their resource status and prevalence growing niches. Finally, a total of 324 sample plots were randomly selected over study areas for data collection. The Productivity and basal area of the bamboo stand were estimated by using DBH of the culm. Whereas the volume of bamboo stands was estimated using DBH, the height of culm breast, and total culm size. The diameter distribution of bamboo culms along plantation niches shows positively skewed between 4 and 8 cm ranges. The standing stock of culm ranges from 19,188 ± 336 culms ha⁻¹ to 23,129 ± 390 culms ha⁻¹ in woodlot and riverbank niches, respectively. The biomass storage capacity of highland bamboo varies from 92.2 ± 4.2 ton ha⁻¹ to 118.6 ± 4.2 ton ha⁻¹ total dry weight (TDW) from the roadside to riverbank plantation niches. Generally bamboo has a higher potential of accumulating huge dry weight, which is a good indicator of its potential for carbon sequestration and environmental protection. Therefore, it needs great attention from respective stakeholders to get twin benefits of bamboo as production and climate change mitigation.

To quantitatively assess the environmental impact of producing a typical bamboo-based fiber composite material—bamboo scrimber (BS)—and to explore pathways for low-carbon optimization, this study adopts the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method with a focus on carbon footprint analysis. Using the actual production process of an enterprise as a case study, field data were collected and analyzed for bamboo scrimber with a nominal thickness of 1.5 cm. The results show that the carbon footprint of 1 m² of this product is 3.11 kg CO₂-eq, with the manufacturing stage contributing the highest emissions at 1.45 kg CO₂-eq. The primary source of carbon emissions is steam consumption, mainly occurring during the carbonization and drying of bamboo bundles. Therefore, optimizing these stages is crucial for reducing the overall carbon footprint of the product. This study provides a scientific basis for the sustainable development of bamboo-based fiber composite materials and offers practical recommendations for improving their environmental performance in production.

This research was designed and conducted to explore indigenous management interventions and experiences carried out by farmers west Amhara, Ethiopia. Therefore, we choose Farta, Banja, Dega Damot, and Sinan districts purposively based on the existence of highland bamboo production to study indigenous management practices applied. A total of 180 farmers were interviewed to collect information on the management of bamboo. Key informants survey, focus group discussions, and field visit observations were taken to support, validate and triangulate interview data collected for identifying and documenting indigenous management interventions applied by farmers. Quantitative data were analyzed in descriptive statistics by using SPSS and Microsoft Excel while quantitative data were summarized and narrated by texts. Farmers in west Amhara, study areas grow two to four landraces of highland bamboo. Vegetative propagation is a common propagation technique. Farm boundary, homestead, riverbank, roadside, and woodlot plantations were common growing niches of highland bamboo. Farmers harvest culms older than two years with different harvesting season. Drying of new shoots (shoot abortion) and lack of training and extension services were identified as bottlenecks of highland bamboo production. Whereas, its adaptive nature, sustainability of yield, increased demand for products, upholding the capacity of several stakeholders in its production and marketing are taken as opportunities for them. Promotion of good experiences of one area to the other localities plays a vital role in enhancing productivity and secure sustainability of bamboo resource.

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of different growing niches on the stand structure of highland bamboo (Yushania alpina) in west Amhara national regional state, northern Ethiopia. Four districts were selected purposively based on the existence of bamboo in different agroforestry practices. Inventory was carried out from 324 randomly selected plots of bamboo stands. The height of bamboo culms ranged between 12.2±0.14 and 14.7±0.12m, and the diameter was between 4.9±0.12 and 6.1±0.11cm with a mean value of 5.7±0.102cm. Growth performance (diameter and height size) based population distribution (histogram visualization) of bamboo stand indicated the normal distribution of height and diameter of culms. Density of culm varies between 19,188±336 and 23,129±390 culms ha⁻¹ with an age composition of 26:45:29 ratio with 1 and 3 age classes. Diameters of the bamboo culms have inverse relationship with the age of bamboo culm. Clump stocking of highland bamboo varies between 953±40 and 1220±48 clump ha⁻¹ with a culm:clump ratio of 1:47±5 and 1:82±6. Information on the stand structure of bamboo culms across niches is important to identify the productive plantation niche and develop a management plan for sustainable management and utilization of the bamboo resource.