Bird-Friendly Coffee
Did you know that the population of birds in America has fallen by 30% (3,000,000,000) since 1970? Bird-friendly coffee is here to help the cause from the outlook of the coffee world.
As the coffee industry and all of its consumers up the standards for eco-friendly coffees, the time has already come to think beyond organic and Fairtrade. There are several environmental standards and certifications that are in place to ensure the speciality coffee industry is sustainable and fair. You’re here to read about the strictest of all third-party standards… Bird-Friendly coffee.
The certification was launched and is controlled by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre, based in the U.S.A. The reason for it’s existence is that 2.5 million acres of rainforest in Central America have been torn down, just to grow coffee! High-quality coffee requires a precise climate for shade coverage, warmth, moisture, and soil qualities.
Bird Friendly Coffee is coffee which has been grown in a climate which impersonates a forest habitat, as this is the kind of setting that wildlife, birds included, actually flourishes in! Part of the reason for this focus on a forest habitat, is that companies proudly plant trees as a part of their social responsibility… but many organisations do this in a very artificial, and wildlife-unfriendly way. Tree planting schemes often plant trees in a grid, as opposed to the hundreds of different species all occupying concentrated locations and providing good homes to birds.
The Issues Surrounding Coffee Farmers Striving for Change
Unfortunately, there are costs that come with the roll-out and promotion of the Bird-Friendly certification. For a farmer to obtain the certification can take years, and can cost large amounts of time and money. This means that the farmers themselves may not see the benefit of becoming Bird-Friendly and suffer. However, this is a problem that the SMBC is aware of, and are finding new ways to overcome it.
The benefits for the industry and the ecosystem, however, are priceless. . The SMBC Bird-Friendly stamp does more to preserve habitats than any other. Habitats are created/preserved which have the correct tree types, tree heights, foliage cover, and all-round biodiversity.
How can you support Bird-Friendly Coffee? Awareness is a large part of the battle! Spread the word amongst your eco-aware friends, and take some time to explain to others that this is a crisis. You can support the movement by supporting tree planting schemes who plant trees the correct way, such as More Trees.
Learn more about the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre and their sustainability ambitions here.