Debra Behrle compares her relationship with bamboo to falling in love with a longtime friend. She had known about its greatness for nearly a decade. But then the winds shifted one day, and she suddenly understood their relationship in a whole new way.
“It’s fascinating stuff,” says Behrle, chair of the third annual Bamboo Festival, happening the weekend of July 11–12 at the North Carolina Arboretum. “Bamboo is experiencing a great surge in popularity right now, mainly because of its ‘green’ nature, and rightfully so.”
From its medicinal properties to its uses as an incredibly strong, fast-growing renewable resource, it’s been highly regarded by Chinese and Japanese cultures for thousands of years, and we’re beginning to put that wisdom to use, she says. It’s also begun to earn a name for itself as a highly desirable eco-friendly fabric, known for wicking away moisture during hot weather, and providing insulation in the cold.
Join Behrle and other members of the Southeastern Chapter of the American Bamboo Society and learn about all the amazing properties of the fastest growing plant on earth. Workshops and demonstrations will be held throughout the day on all things bamboo. —J.M.
