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s many as 240,000 bamboos were planted Sunday in a green drive involving 1,000 people in 114 villages across the island’s eight regencies and one municipality.

John Hardy International, a global jewelry company that produces bamboo trinkets, sponsored the event, donating 600,000 bamboo seeds. The remaining 360,000 seeds will be planted the coming months.

Bali governor Made Mangku Pastika and scores of high ranking provincial officials travelled to the Buana Giri village in Bebandem, Karangasem to launch the campaign

“Bamboo has a critical role in our ecosystem, it prevents land erosion and helps form water catchment areas. Hopefully, this drive will help transform Karangasem from a dry region into one with a sustainable supply of water,” Pastika said.

In addition, bamboo also has a high commercial value. It can be processed into various handicrafts, jewelry, eco-friendly housing structures and delicious delicacies.

“Let’s not forget that Balinese Hindu religious rituals also regularly need high quantities of bamboo,” Pastika stressed.

He also cautioned participants not to let the drive degenerate into empty gestures.  He conceded that in the past many government campaigns ended the moment their ceremonial launching was completed.

“Often official launchings were conducted in a pompous manner yet the programs failed to yield concrete results. We can plant 600,000 bamboos, but it will require regular maintenance and hard work from the community to ensure that they grow into mature plants,” he said.

Pastika presented a cash donation of Rp 5 million to the hamlet to be used for maintaining the seeds.

John Hardy International’s CEO Damien Dernoncourt said the drive is part of the company’s effort to popularize an eco-friendly life style as well as supporting the local administration’s Bali Clean and Green campaign.