My name is Fred Hornaday, and I’ve been active in the bamboo industry since 2006, when I opened America’s first all-bamboo boutique in San Luis Obispo, California. Since 2020, I’ve been committed to promoting bamboo cultivation and value addition and expanding its impact on a global scale. I’ve consulted on and worked very closely with projects in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia, Ecuador, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

I also offer Biochar Consulting Services, having worked with project developers across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, with deep experience in carbon registries and the voluntary carbon credit market.

For more details or to book a short discovery call, reach out by email.

Bamboo Consulting Services

From project assessment to species selection to monetization strategies, I’m determined to see bamboo growers succeed. We all have our roles to play in the existential struggle against Climate Change, and mine is to promote bamboo. This remarkable plant can work wonders for landscapes and for the atmosphere. But bamboo farming also needs to pencil out financially if we want to see it take off on a large scale.

With more than two decades of experience in bamboo cultivation, supply chains, project development, and carbon markets, I help clients evaluate opportunities, reduce risk, and make informed decisions about bamboo investments and projects.

Whether you’re exploring a new plantation, assessing a carbon project, sourcing bamboo materials, or conducting technical due diligence, I provide practical, independent expertise grounded in real-world experience.

Bamboo Feasibility Studies

Before investing significant time and capital, it’s essential to determine whether a bamboo project is technically, economically, and environmentally viable.

I help clients answer critical questions such as:

• Is bamboo suitable for this site?
• Which species are most appropriate?
• What are the expected yields and costs?
• What products and markets are available?
• What risks should be considered?

Feasibility studies can range from high-level opportunity assessments to detailed evaluations for investors, developers, and landowners.

Plantation Planning and Development

Many bamboo projects fail because they underestimate the challenges of establishment, management, harvesting, and market development.

I assist with:

• Species selection
• Plantation design
• Site assessment
• Plant sourcing
• Nursery planning
• Harvest scheduling
• Market strategy
• Project development roadmaps

Whether you’re planting five acres or five thousand, careful planning can prevent costly mistakes later.

Carbon Credit Assessment and Project Development

Interest in bamboo as a carbon removal solution continues to grow, but successful carbon projects require more than planting bamboo.

I help project developers, investors, and landowners evaluate:

• Carbon sequestration potential
• Methodology suitability
• Additionality considerations
• Monitoring requirements
• Project economics
• Market opportunities and limitations

My approach emphasizes realistic expectations, sound technical analysis, and credible project design.

Technical Due Diligence

Investors and organizations often encounter ambitious claims regarding bamboo production, carbon removal, biomass, and sustainable materials.

Independent due diligence helps separate genuine opportunities from unrealistic projections.

Services may include:

• Project review
• Technical risk assessment
• Biomass and yield evaluation
• Carbon project assessment
• Supply chain analysis
• Verification of assumptions and claims

The goal is simple: help clients make better-informed decisions before committing capital.

Bamboo Sourcing and Supply Chain Support

Finding reliable bamboo suppliers can be challenging, particularly for large-scale projects.

Drawing on an international network of growers, processors, exporters, and project developers, I assist clients with:

• Bulk bamboo sourcing
• Supplier identification
• Preliminary supplier screening
• Product sourcing
• Market introductions
• Supply chain strategy

Experience includes sourcing and project support across Asia, Latin America, and other emerging bamboo regions.

Training and Capacity Building

If you’re looking for ways to advance bamboo skills and knowledge in your area, Bambu Batu is also available for training workshops ranging anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. Based on the needs and interests of your project or community, we can provide a handful bamboo experts with a variety of specializations to deliver theoretical and practical training on plantation planning, carbon credit markets, species identification, harvesting, charcoal and biochar production, bamboo shoot collection and preparation, and bamboo building. These training workshops can also be combined with site visits and assessments

Why Work With Me?

Unlike many consultants who specialize in only one segment of the industry, my experience spans the full bamboo value chain, from cultivation and plantation management to carbon markets, processing, sustainability, and international supply networks.

My focus is practical, independent, and solutions-oriented. I am not tied to a particular nursery, processor, developer, or carbon program, allowing me to provide objective guidance based on the needs of each project.

Let’s Talk

Every bamboo project is different.

If you’re evaluating an opportunity, facing a technical challenge, or exploring the role bamboo might play in your business, investment, or sustainability strategy, I’d be happy to discuss your goals and determine how I can help.

Some of the most interesting projects I’ve been involved with are in Thailand, Cambodia, Mozambique, Nigeria, Kenya, and Malawi. As tropical bamboo thrives most successfully in the developing world, where resources can be scarce, I specialize in helping growers develop effective strategies to turn this giant grass into a profitable crop that can restore degraded landscapes and revitalize vulnerable communities.

Take a look at my TESTIMONIALS page to see what others are saying.

Further reading

To learn more about bamboo, bamboo farming, and the enormous potential of this remarkable plant, take a look at some of these other articles.

• Growing bamboo for Carbon Credits
• Bamboo for Charcoal and Biochar
• Investing in Bamboo
• Bamboo for Land Restoration

South-South Technology Learning for Bamboo Development: Approaches, Lessons, Actors and Enablers