Meet some of the Conference Presenters
Bamboo is Not the Boogeyman: Native Rivercane in the Southeastern United States
Dr. Fedoroff is the Executive Director of the CONSERVE Research group at the University of Alabama Water Institute located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He also serves as the Founding Director of the Rivercane Restoration Alliance, which serves to work with landowners to restore canebrakes across the Southeastern United States. His research specialties include native plant species and human ecology.
Kuboo Basketry Workshop
Aaron McCarty interned at Haiku Bamboo Nursery with Keiji Oshima from 2014 to 2016. During Aaron’s internship he became an apprentice of bamboo craft with an emphasis on splitting bamboo for basketry. He is the inventor of the “Kuboo” basket.
Aaron will do give presentation on ” History of Bamboo Basket Making in Japan” and he will also offer a five hour Kuboo Workshop (registration required)
An Integral View On Bamboo Study, Learn, Do, Share, No Borders
Compost: Wood chips, Bark, Nitrogen, and Drainage Considerations for Bamboo Growers
Dain Sansome, born and raised in southern Minnesota Zone 4, Dain has been interested in growing bamboo since he was a young kid. The 1980 National Geographic was instrumental in sparking his enthusiasm, but it wasn’t until high school that he joined the ABS in 1995 and began cultivating bamboo. He studied language, music, and science, including Japanese and martial arts. He experienced bamboo farming and sustainable agriculture in Japan in 2001 and has attempted to transplant these learned techniques to his farm over the years. Moved over 250 large divisions of moso from McIlhenny’s grove in Louisiana to Oregon in 2010 and ’11, which now stands as one of the biggest moso groves on the West Coast proudly sporting 4+ inch culms. Dain is an avid lifelong learner who’s keen to try new tools and techniques to accelerate and maximize the size and speed of moso growth.
Simple Flute Making, Fill Your Lungs & Flute Along!
Paul Lirette is a bamboo artist in coastal Louisiana who focuses on crafting expressive, ergonomic transverse flutes. His work blends traditional hand-tool craft with a practical understanding of tuning, modal music, and the natural voice of each piece of bamboo. Outside the workshop, he and his wife are raising their kids, tending a garden and an ever growing cactus collection. He is excited to teach bamboo enthusiasts how to make an instrument that is special to them.
Luc’s Year Traveling in the World of Bamboo
Luc Boeraeve, American Bamboo Society Past President and current International Director will share his travels around the globe viewing bamboo.
Donald (Don) McGowan aka Amateur Craftsman…Hobbyist…DIYer… Fly Fisherman & Bamboo Rod Builder. Prior retired professional Contract Manager and Registered Nurse with education credentials of BA, BS, & MA. Aside from formal studies and practices, Don has honed lifelong skills as an engineering craftsman, whereby hands on metal shop to wood working have yielded numerous solid projects, most recently self-taught he endeavors to build Bamboo Fly Rods.
The Bamboo Blueprint: Regenerating Soil
Shanti Pierce has been working with bamboos since the mid-90’s, moving to Florida to work for Walt Disney Imagineering as their bamboo and ornamental grass specialist on the Animal Kingdom Project and following that project began her own farm. Shanti is the owner of Bamboo Leaf Tea which pioneers the use of bamboos as medicine in the US. She also owns This Bamboo Life, which specializes in bamboo consultations & installations. Through these venture, she helps individuals, businesses, & farms create unique and regenerative spaces utilizing bamboos.
“I love creating spaces where people and bamboos connect”
Bamboo Architecture: Past & Present
James Wolf is an industrial designer, product developer, entrepreneur and world-renowed bamboo expert.
James is planning a 2-3 hour workshop to build your own bamboo tray!