Bamboo will not thrive in 100% shade, put can grow as long as it gets a few good hours of direct sunlight so you may need to clear out some of the woods to get a bamboo grove started.

The most shade tolerant bamboo may be phyllostachy dulcis with its large leaves, but it will still require some direct sunlight in order to grow and spread out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of my phyllostachys dulcis

I wanted an area of bamboo near my woods too, so I planted it all along the edge of the woods. That way, as Steve mentioned, it gets a few good hours of sun each day. It seems to be doing well (um, maybe TOO well:).

I have some potted bamboos that never get direct sunlight but they are in an area that is quite bright, not dark with shade, and they do great.

I also have some bamboo culms from a grove that get no direct sunlight at all but they are connected to culms by rhizomes that get sunlight so that may be something to think about.

Direct light is not necessary for all species, but the more light, the better for the bamboo.

Kt