By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 2: A visit to Kyoto, Japan, in 2024 has sparked inspiration for a 25-acre area in this city to be transformed into a bamboo-based hub for conservation, education, research, and recreation through the development of a Bamboo Gallery and Park, further strengthening Sarawak’s green city agenda and sustainable economy.
According to Kuching North City Commission (DBKU) Mayor Dato Hilmy Othman, the collaborative project between DBKU and the Sarawak Timber Industry Development Corporation (STIDC) would not only create new green space but also serve as a platform to showcase bamboo biodiversity and develop bamboo-based industries.
He said the visit to Kyoto showcased how the city integrated green elements, including bamboo, into its urban landscape.
“We want this project to be a starting point for cultivating a spirit of greening the city’s infrastructure. With the pace of urbanisation accelerating, more space needs to be created to advance greening initiatives to ensure Kuching City remains sustainable,” he said after the soft launching ceremony of the Bamboo Gallery and Park in conjunction with the 38th Kuching City Day celebration here on Saturday (Aug 1), as reported by the Sarawak Public Communication Unit (Ukas).
Elaborating on the Bamboo Gallery and Park, he said the area would be gazetted as public open space and developed with a variety of bamboo species to create a new iconic landscape element for Kuching City.
The development will be carried out in two phases, comprising a bamboo collection garden, gallery, nursery site, walking trails, open activity spaces, and various recreational facilities.
As a start, STIDC has supplied 700 bamboo saplings, with 92 clumps from five species already planted at the project site, while another 12 species will be introduced in stages to enrich the park’s collection.
In this connection, DBKU hopes to establish a Sister City relationship with Kyoto to open up opportunities for future collaboration on green city development projects.
Also present were STIDC general manager Datu Zainal Abidin Abdullah and DBKU director Ramzi Abdillah. — DayakDaily
