Bamboo is a multipurpose NTFP for day-to-day life of community and provides a cost-effective return in the short term. Even though Ethiopia is well endowed with bamboo resources, the existing utilization pattern, management practices and status of bamboo resource was not well explored. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess existing utilization, management and status of bamboo resources in Sheybench District. This study was targeted to (i) examine the existing bamboo utilization patterns and (ii) assess management practices and status bamboo resource. To select specific respondents, multistage sampling techniques were employed. The district- Sheybench- and three study villages from the district were purposively selected due to its high bamboo resource coverage. Then, at the last stage, 384 respondents were selected randomly. Thus, the primary data were collected from the selected respondents. Moreover, secondary data from previously documented source were also used. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using MS-excel and SPSS Version-21. The result of study shows that from the total respondents, only 54.4%have their own private bamboo stand and about 94% have used bamboo products for different purposes in 2017/18. The resource utilization also limited to house construction, fences, beehives, grain storage, vessels for carrying and storing water and milk, mats, baskets, animal sheds, fuel wood, rudimentary furniture and household utensils. Further, in the study area, there was no proper bamboo resource management using different silvicultural practices and only 4.42% of bamboo producers have got extension services on bamboo management and utilization by asking from local natural resource management experts. Both plantation and natural bamboo stand coverage in the study area is shrinking progressively. Accordingly, the current estimated private bamboo stands coverage per bamboo producers, which is about 0.0261 hectare, is significantly different from mean private bamboo stand coverage in the past 10, and 5 years that was, respectively,0.0413 ha and 0.0381ha. Bamboo resource utilization in Sheybench has been customary and limited subsistence purpose that included hut construction, fencing and to a lesser extent of handicraft production. Moreover, bamboo stands poorly managed and doesn’t get proper management; which result in resource deterioration. If these challenges remain repeal, therefore, it would be a big challenge to expect bamboo resources in the future. Thus, it is very crucial to enhance farmers’ awareness on bamboo management practices and utilization patterns through training and establishing bamboo plantations and demonstration sites.

Keywords: Bamboo stand, Deterioration, Harvesting, Management Practices, Utilization