Bamboo is actually a grass that grows to a harvestable height of 60 feet in about 3 to 5 years. It has an extensive root system that continually sends up new shoots, naturally replenishing itself. It does not require replanting, making it one of the most renewable resources known.
Bamboo is 16% harder than maple wood, 1/3 lighter in weight than oak, yet in some instances as strong as steel. Bamboo holds the promise of a sustainable, cost effective, and ecologically responsible alternative to the widespread clear cutting of our old growth forests.