BSA Member and INBAR Afilliate since 2002, Leo Bakx has been fascinated by bamboo ever since the landmark publication in National Geographic - the "Bamboo Issue" of October 1980. Leo has a background in education as a teacher in the Netherlands. His interest in environmentally responsible and sustainable living goes back to his active involvement in the 'De Kleine Aarde' project in Boxtel, the Netherlands where he learned the principles of biolgical, organic and bio-dynamic farming and helped build one of the worlds first self-sufficient residential buildings.

Leo has extensive skills in communication, internet, graphic design, photography, biology, astronomy and strategic and creative thinking.

In 2000 Leo joined the Dutch EBS and became the editor of its magazine. During his time as editor he was in contact with many Dutch and international bamboo experts, including Jules Janssen, Jos van der Palen, Ian Connor, Chris Stapleton, Antoon Versteegde, Kevin Lang and Durnford Dart.

He runs his own business as an Internet, bamboo and business and personal consultant in Albany Western Australia. In 2003, with the help of some friends, he started the Bamboo Sanctuary project, salvaging unwanted bamboos and planting them in a new environment. Mount Romance donated the first batch and it is doing very well on properties in Lower King and on Frenchman Bay Road in Albany.