Saving Our Rain Forests Through Shade-Grown Coffee

Today, June 22, is World Rain Forest Day!

This day celebrates one of our planet’s most precious natural resources, tropical rain forests. Though they cover less than 3% of the Earth, rain forests are home to half of all wildlife and two-thirds of all plant life. They provide us with medicine, food, climate stabilization, rainfall, and so much more. 

These areas are also in danger — and through our Arbor Day® Coffee program, you have a unique opportunity to help.

What is shade-grown coffee?

The Arbor Day Coffee program was founded more than 25 years ago to support shade-grown coffee practices in Central and South America.

Growing coffee in the sun increases yield and productivity in the short term, but this intensive method of agriculture ultimately leads to deforestation, soil depletion, loss of plant and animal biodiversity, and frequent landslides. 
 
When coffee is grown under the shade of trees — the traditional way of growing coffee — rain forests are preserved, wildlife is protected, and the land remains healthy. 

Each bag of Arbor Day Coffee you purchase comes directly from these shade-grown farms. It not only makes a difference, but is delicious too.

Get to know our farmers

Last year, in order to better tell the stories of these dedicated farmers and support them in their sustainable endeavors, we launched the Heritage Coffee Series. Each batch is produced in limited quantity for a limited time and comes from a specific grower in Central or South America.

Juan de la Cruz on his coffee farm in Honduras [top], which has several fruit-bearing shade trees [bottom].

The first small batch from the Heritage Coffee Series came from the farm of Juan de la Cruz Vasquez in Carrizal, Honduras. He lives on this two-acre farm with his wife and three children.

Juan grows traditional coffee varieties which require protection from the sun. The farm has several different kinds of shade trees, including guachipilin, sweetgum, and inga. The farm also has a number of fruit-bearing trees, including several varieties of banana, avocado, and mango, which provide food for his family. 

His passion for sustainability shines through in his farm management practices. All coffee is processed right on the farm, and Juan’s on site micro-mill enables him to depulp, ferment, and dry his harvest using a honey processing technique that unlocks exceptional flavors.

Partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation was the first time Juan processed enough coffee for a single-producer micro-lot, and we were proud to debut his batch as the first in our series.

David Benitez on his coffee farm Olapaca, Honduras.

The second small batch in the Heritage Coffee Series, currently available for purchase, comes from the farm of David Benitez in Olapaca, Honduras. David lives on the farm with his parents and siblings.

David is a prime example of the next generation of the professional farmer. He has a degree in agroecology and works as high school teacher. When not in the classroom, he is busy applying his knowledge directly to his family’s farm. 

While growing his coffee, David uses only homemade organic inputs to manage plant nutrition. He is also conscious of the need for soil conservation and the importance of shade trees. The farm has several different kinds of shade trees including sweetgum, guachipilin, and inga as well as a number of fruit-bearing trees. 

Like Juan, David has also learned to use his own micro-mill so that he can depulp, ferment, and dry his coffee all on site. Now his family has the ability to sell their coffee as a micro-lot. 

While David’s passion for coffee is strong, he has an even stronger dedication to his community. The Benitez family manages a community garden, providing the people of Olapaca with year-round fresh vegetables. David also provides technical support to dozens of families looking to integrate organic practices into their gardens and has helped deliver thousands of trees from the local nursery for reforestation projects throughout Santa Elena.

Thank you for your support

As we prepare to release the third batch in our Heritage Coffee Series, we’d like to thank our dedicated customers for your support. Not only are you supporting the revitalization of our rain forests and paying farmers a fair price, but with every bag sold, the Arbor Day Foundation is planting a tree in their community.

Learn more about the Heritage Coffee Series here.

Quiz: How Well Do You Know Rain Forests?