Shade Grown Coffee
Good for coffee, environment
Shade-grown coffee reduces the need of fertilizers
While I may not be The Amazing Kreskin (or even Carnac the Magnificent), I feel safe in making at least one prediction for this new year — green will continue to be a very popular color, particularly as it relates to environmental concerns and the health of our planet.
“Going green” was a phrase heard often last year, in business and at home, and it is sure to be even more prevalent in both conversation and practice this year.
The specialty coffee industry has been at the forefront of global environmental and social issues for many years. It is now generally understood that what is good for the environment is probably good for humans, as well.
There are a number of certifications and labels in use in the coffee industry that address such concerns, labels such as Certified Organic, Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade. The basic idea behind these labels and certifications is that by ensuring socially and environmentally friendly practices in the |production of coffee, not only do the farmers and their lands benefit (and by extension the rest of the planet as well) but so do consumers, who then have access to the higher quality product that such certifications promote.
In my opinion, perhaps the most impactful of the coffee certifications is Bird Friendly. It’s a certification program of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, a proactive, interdisciplinary organization whose concern is promoting awareness and protection of migratory bird species wherever they may be in the western hemisphere. These folks get their hands dirty using science, politics and social forces to try to make sure that bird species and habitats from North America to South America are protected and enhanced.
It just so happens that what’s good for migrating birds is also pretty darn good for coffee, coffee farmers and consumers. Bird Friendly certification works hand in hand with shade-grown coffee, that is, coffee grown beneath a canopy of indigenous trees. Coffee that is grown this way, as opposed to modern, technologically advanced methods of farming where all non-target plants are eliminated, has a number of benefits.
Shade-grown coffee reduces or eliminates the need for chemical fertilizers, maintains better soil quality naturally, reduces erosion and provides natural mulch, reducing the need for weeding. Bird Friendly takes the idea of shade grown to a rigorous level when certifying a farm. If a coffee farm is labeled Bird Friendly it must, among other criteria, be Certified Organic from a USDA-accredited agency, there must be at least 10 species of trees and shrubs, at least three layers of foliage, the presence of leaf litter, and have at least 12 meters of canopy height.
This type of farm is a haven for migratory birds. The number of birds found on such a farm may literally be dozens of times more than in a modernized, shade-free farm. One result of that kind of bird congregation is natural pest control. No pesticides are needed in such an environment.
Because of the nature of this kind of growing environment, the coffee is also thought to be of higher quality and better taste than its clean-farm equivalent. The plants take longer to mature under a canopy of other trees, and longer maturation promotes a more full-flavored fruit. In turn, farmers are able to offer a higher quality product to the market, and theoretically reap greater financial reimbursement and an improved standard of living for their efforts.
A package of Bird Friendly certified coffee may cost a bit more than non-certified, but I believe it is worth the price when considering the positive impact such a program has on our planet, in addition to providing an excellent coffee to enjoy.