Research Article
Open Access
China's Bamboo Forest Management Policies in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Resources, Regulation, and Sustainable Development Prospects
1
Shandong Institute of Territorial and Spatial Planning, Jinan 250014, China
2
Shandong Provincial Institute of Cartography, Jinan 250014, China
3
Industry Development and Planning Institute, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Beijing 100010, China
4
Fuyang Normal University, Fuyang 236037, China
Corresponding Author:
Sang Fu,
[email protected]
Volume 2, Issue 1
2026
Received: 12 February 2026
Accepted: 13 March 2026
Published: 20 March 2026
Article Information
Abstract
Bamboo forests constitute a strategic resource within China's forest ecosystem, encompassing approximately 6.416 million hectares, which represents nearly 2\% of the total forested area. This paper presents a comprehensive review of bamboo forest management policies in China, tracing the evolution of macro-level policy frameworks, organizational structures, and incentive mechanisms from the 1950s to the present. The Chinese bamboo sector has transformed from a marginal forestry subsector into a nationally prioritized industry, with the total output value projected to exceed one trillion yuan by 2035. Key policy milestones, including the 2008 reform of collective forest rights, national bamboo industry development plans, and the 2021 establishment of the first bamboo carbon sink trading center, are analyzed within the context of China's dual carbon goals to peak emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Furthermore, the study examines structural challenges such as fragmented land tenure, low mechanization levels, and shortages of skilled personnel, while proposing policy recommendations to enhance sustainable bamboo forest management. These findings provide valuable implications for bamboo-producing regions at earlier stages of policy development, particularly in Africa and Latin America.
Graphical Abstract
Keywords
bamboo forest management
forest policy
carbon sequestration
collective forest rights
China
sustainable development
Data Availability Statement
Data will be made available on request.
Funding
This work was supported by the Beijing Science and Technology Plan Project under Grant Z241100005424006, and by the Key Project of the Talent Fund for Universities in Anhui Province under Grant gxgwfx2020003.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
AI Use Statement
The authors declare that no generative AI was used in the preparation of this manuscript.
Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate
Not applicable.
References
- Du, H., Mao, F., Li, X., Zhou, G., Xu, X., Han, N., ... & Zhou, Y. (2018). Mapping global bamboo forest distribution using multisource remote sensing data. IEEE Journal of selected topics in applied earth observations and remote sensing, 11(5), 1458-1471.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Ben-Zhi, Z., Mao-Yi, F., Jin-Zhong, X., Xiao-Sheng, Y., & Zheng-Cai, L. (2005). Ecological functions of bamboo forest: research and application. Journal of Forestry Research, 16(2), 143-147.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Chen, X. G., Zhang, Y. P., Zhang, X. Q., & Guo, Y. (2008). Carbon stock changes in bamboo stands in China over the last 50 years. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 28(11), 5218-5227.
[Google Scholar] - Xu, X., Du, H., Zhou, G., Li, P., Shi, Y., & Zhou, Y. (2016). Eddy covariance analysis of the implications of drought on the carbon fluxes of Moso bamboo forest in southeastern China. Trees, 30(5), 1807-1820.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Li, P., Zhou, G., Du, H., Lu, D., Mo, L., Xu, X., ... & Shi, Y. (2015). Current and potential carbon stocks in Moso bamboo forests in China. Journal of Environmental Management, 156, 89-96.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Zhou, Y., Zhou, G., Du, H., Shi, Y., Mao, F., Liu, Y., Xu, L., Li, X., & Xu, X. (2019). Biotic and abiotic influences on monthly variation in carbon fluxes in on-year and off-year moso bamboo forest. Trees, 33(1), 153–169.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Wen GuoSheng, W. G., Zhang LiYang, Z. L., Zhang RuMing, Z. R., Cao ZhiHong, C. Z., Zhou GuoMo, Z. G., Huang Hao, H. H., & Wong MingHung, W. M. (2011). Temporal and spatial dynamics of carbon fixation by moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) in subtropical China. The Botanical Review, 77, 271–277.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Xu, X., & Chen, D. (2024). Estimating global annual gross primary production based on satellite-derived phenology and maximal carbon uptake capacity. Environmental Research, 252, 119063.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Zhou, G., & Jiang, P. (2004). Density, storage and spatial distribution of carbon in Phyllostachys pubescens forest. Scientia Silvae Sinicae, 40(6), 20–24.
[Google Scholar] - Sun, P., Nukina, R., & Shibata, S. (2020). Management, production and stand structure of managed moso bamboo forests in China: A case study in Yixing city, Jiangsu province. Journal of the Japanese Forest Society, 102(4), 244–253.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Huang, Y., Hou, Y., Ren, J., Yang, J., & Wen, Y. (2023). How to promote sustainable bamboo forest management: an empirical study from small-scale farmers in China. Forests, 15(1), 12.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Mao, F., Li, P., Zhou, G., Du, H., Xu, X., Shi, Y., ... & Tu, G. (2016). Development of the BIOME-BGC model for the simulation of managed Moso bamboo forest ecosystems. Journal of environmental management, 172, 29-39.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2020). Global forest resources assessment 2020. FAO.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Li, S., He, S., Yue, T., Du, Z., Zhao, N., Zhao, Y., ... & Yang, Y. (2023). Mapping bamboo forest and expansion intensity in China by coupling vegetation phenology and C-band SAR with Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 images. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 121, 103384.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - Vorontsova, M. S., Baker, W. J., Dransfield, J., Clark, L. G., & Govaerts, R. (2017). World checklist of bamboos and rattans. Science Press.
[Google Scholar] - Zhao, Z., Dong, D., Zhao, Y., Cheng, X., Weng, Z., Liu, Q., ... & Zhou, Y. (2025). Potential effects of fertilization strategies on greenhouse gas emissions from bamboo forest soils. Plant and Soil, 1-24.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] - van Dam, J. E., Elbersen, H. W., & Montaño, C. M. D. (2018). Bamboo production for industrial utilization. Perennial grasses for bioenergy and bioproducts, 175-216.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
Cite This Article
APA Style
Sun, T., Wang, Z., Yuan, B., Gu, C., & Fu, S. (2026). China’s Bamboo Forest Management Policies in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Resources, Regulation, and Sustainable Development Prospects. Digital Intelligence in Agriculture, 2(1), 32–44. https://doi.org/10.62762/DIA.2026.695420
Export Citation
RIS Format
Compatible with EndNote, Zotero, Mendeley, and other reference managers
TY - JOUR AU - Sun, Tianxu AU - Wang, Zemin AU - Yuan, Bo AU - Gu, Chengyan AU - Fu, Sang PY - 2026 DA - 2026/03/20 TI - China's Bamboo Forest Management Policies in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Resources, Regulation, and Sustainable Development Prospects JO - Digital Intelligence in Agriculture T2 - Digital Intelligence in Agriculture JF - Digital Intelligence in Agriculture VL - 2 IS - 1 SP - 32 EP - 44 DO - 10.62762/DIA.2026.695420 UR - https://www.icck.org/article/abs/DIA.2026.695420 KW - bamboo forest management KW - forest policy KW - carbon sequestration KW - collective forest rights KW - China KW - sustainable development AB - Bamboo forests constitute a strategic resource within China's forest ecosystem, encompassing approximately 6.416 million hectares, which represents nearly 2\% of the total forested area. This paper presents a comprehensive review of bamboo forest management policies in China, tracing the evolution of macro-level policy frameworks, organizational structures, and incentive mechanisms from the 1950s to the present. The Chinese bamboo sector has transformed from a marginal forestry subsector into a nationally prioritized industry, with the total output value projected to exceed one trillion yuan by 2035. Key policy milestones, including the 2008 reform of collective forest rights, national bamboo industry development plans, and the 2021 establishment of the first bamboo carbon sink trading center, are analyzed within the context of China's dual carbon goals to peak emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Furthermore, the study examines structural challenges such as fragmented land tenure, low mechanization levels, and shortages of skilled personnel, while proposing policy recommendations to enhance sustainable bamboo forest management. These findings provide valuable implications for bamboo-producing regions at earlier stages of policy development, particularly in Africa and Latin America. SN - 3069-3187 PB - Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge LA - English ER -
BibTeX Format
Compatible with LaTeX, BibTeX, and other reference managers
@article{Sun2026Chinas,
author = {Tianxu Sun and Zemin Wang and Bo Yuan and Chengyan Gu and Sang Fu},
title = {China's Bamboo Forest Management Policies in the Era of Artificial Intelligence: Resources, Regulation, and Sustainable Development Prospects},
journal = {Digital Intelligence in Agriculture},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {1},
pages = {32-44},
doi = {10.62762/DIA.2026.695420},
url = {https://www.icck.org/article/abs/DIA.2026.695420},
abstract = {Bamboo forests constitute a strategic resource within China's forest ecosystem, encompassing approximately 6.416 million hectares, which represents nearly 2\\% of the total forested area. This paper presents a comprehensive review of bamboo forest management policies in China, tracing the evolution of macro-level policy frameworks, organizational structures, and incentive mechanisms from the 1950s to the present. The Chinese bamboo sector has transformed from a marginal forestry subsector into a nationally prioritized industry, with the total output value projected to exceed one trillion yuan by 2035. Key policy milestones, including the 2008 reform of collective forest rights, national bamboo industry development plans, and the 2021 establishment of the first bamboo carbon sink trading center, are analyzed within the context of China's dual carbon goals to peak emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. Furthermore, the study examines structural challenges such as fragmented land tenure, low mechanization levels, and shortages of skilled personnel, while proposing policy recommendations to enhance sustainable bamboo forest management. These findings provide valuable implications for bamboo-producing regions at earlier stages of policy development, particularly in Africa and Latin America.},
keywords = {bamboo forest management, forest policy, carbon sequestration, collective forest rights, China, sustainable development},
issn = {3069-3187},
publisher = {Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge}
}
Article Metrics
Publisher's Note
ICCK stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and Permissions
Copyright © 2026 by the Author(s). Published by Institute of Central Computation and Knowledge. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made.
Scan to read this article