Cerulean Warbler Reserve coffee certified

A coffee farm that is part of the ProAves Cerulean Warbler Reserve in Santander, Colombia was recently certified by Rainforest Alliance (under the cooperative Asociación de Cafés Sostenibles de Santander). The 15 ha farm was acquired in 2006 by ProAves, the Colombian partner of the American Bird Conservancy (ABC). These two organizations worked together to secure funding to establish the 220 ha Reserve in 2005. In 2008, the farm covered 18% of the Reserve's operating costs, and the goal is to cover all operating costs by 2011 through the sales of coffee.

As part of the Save the Cerulean Warbler effort, ABC has also marketed a Cerulean Warbler Coffee, roasted and distributed by Thanksgiving Coffee Company, which we have reviewed here.

Just to avoid confusion, the ABC/Thanksgiving Cerulean Warbler coffee is from a different part of Colombia, not from farms adjacent to or near the Reserve. The Thanksgiving Coffee Company's Cerulean Warbler Coffee is not Rainforest Alliance or Smithsonian Bird-Friendly certified. According to ABC, the plans are for Thanksgiving to source coffee from these farms in the future. Currently, coffee from farms near the Reserve are being sold to wholesalers and are not being marketed as conservation coffees.

Comments

[Brenton Head]

Thanks so much Julie, for the article about the Cerulean Warbler reserve coffee. I have been buying this coffee and having it sent to me in Australia. The American Bird Conservancy has been raising funds through sales of this coffee. It is exciting news that ProAves will in time fully support the operational costs of the Cerulean Warbler Reserve through the sale of certified coffee from its coffee farm. ProAves is an amazing organisation and with assistance from the American Bird Conservancy, the World Land Trust US and other organisations is buying land in Colombia to protect so many rare species. Local people are employed and trained to work on the reserves. Ecotourism is going to be the saviour of many wild places and creatures around the world. Many of the bird species that nest and breed in the United States , then migrate to Central and South America for the winter. If the forest areas are not protected in Central and South America then some bird species are doomed.
I just wanted to say as a customer of the Thanksgiving Coffee Company how professional and helpful they have been with my orders.
I also wanted to thankyou for your dedication to this wonderful blog which is playing a very crucial and important part in educating and encouraging the general coffee drinking public in supporting coffees that are Bird-Friendly and Shade Grown. Brenton.