Altogether there about 1250 species of Bamboo within 600 genera. The one most common in Central America is Guadua. This species was originally brought to Costa Rica from Columbia where in some regions it is an integral part of the environment and daily life. In the western central region of Columbia, Guadua is used for bridges, fences, staircases, containers, baskets, all kinds of furniture and construction (Garcia, 1996).

There are actually four types of Guadua in Costa Rica. Two native and two introduced species in the country. Guadua amplexifolia (found in the north) and Guadua paniculata (found in the south) are both originally from Costa Rica and grow no more than eight centimeters in diameter (Garcia, 1996). "Guadua sur" and "Guadua Atlantica" were introduced to Costa Rica from South America and can be found scattered throughout the country . Guadua sur is the most commonly used bamboo in Costa Rica due to it’s high commercial value.

Guadua is a good alternative to wood for several reasons. Guadua is strong, flexible, resistant, and lightweight. It can be produced at a low cost and is easy to transport. It grows extremely fast, so that it can be harvested in it’s fourth year of growth. It can be used to make furniture, arts and craft, paper, and even houses.

Besides the commercial benefits of Guadua, it is also environmentally and socially important. Guadua helps conserve the environment by protecting the soil from erosion, giving refuge to wildlife, releasing pressure on the natural forests, and supplying oxygen to the planet. (Garcia, 1996).

Socially, bamboo supplies jobs to the rural communities and offers a new, sustainable alternative to exportation of mono-crops for the national economy. For example, bananas (Costa Rica’s number one export) uses lots of pesticides which harm workers health and cause soil erosion. Bamboo, on the other hand, grows well in degraded soils, actually prevents soil erosion, and does not require much, if any, pesticide use.

For these reasons and more, Guadua is a good choice for Costa Rica and is the main species focused on in this document.