Shade grown coffees combat deforestation.

Bird Baths * Bird Houses * BIrd Baths * BIrd Feeds * Bird Baths

		*A Bird’s World*
	*^{10% Donation Made to Nature Conservation Organizations}**


Bird Houses Bird Feeders Bird Baths Bird Feeds Books Maps Gifts Garden Wildlife Art


				Bird Facts V-Birders BirdCams Photographs Songs Descriptions Bird Spots Bird Needs


Bird Alert MigraMap Bird Brains BirdCams GetLost Reservations Checklists Photography Links


	Coloring Fun Facts Games Quizzes E-Pen Pals


Educators Projects

Shade Coffees

Education

Action Items

Congress

A Bird's World Referral

Shade Grown Environment

Sun Grown Environment

Source: Songbird Foundation

*Buy Coffee Now*

Take the Smithsonian Slide Tour: The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has an informative slide show on the current plight of songbird populations due to coffee cultivation.

Simple, daily choices have a dramatic impact on our planet. The deforestation of song bird habitat for “sun-grown” coffee production in South and Central America has had a dramatic impact on song bird populations in these areas and subsequently in North America.

Ask for shade grown brands of coffee which buy beans exclusively produced in “shade grown” environments. They are more expensive but after an analysis of the facts we think you’ll agree that the added costs are justified.

Saving the extremely valuable rain forest refuges for nearly 150 species of songbirds.

Preserve the ecology of our planet for future generations.
Create healthier workplaces for growers and their families.
Promote organic farming methods, reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides.
Support other valuable crops along with coffee, such as fruit, avocados and cacao.
Nurture migratory bird survival for the enjoyment of all.

Coffee Production: Shade Grown vs. Sun Grown
	Shade	Sun
Yield	Lower (~ 25-40%)	Higher
Plants/Hectare	1000-2000	3000-7000
Kg/Hct/yr	550	1600
Lifetime of plants	24-30 years	12-15 years
Side-Crops	High	Low/none
Flavor	Less bitter	More bitter
Who Produces?	Mostly small-scale growers	Mostly large-scale growers

Biology
	Shade	Sun
# of bird species	150	20-50
Proportion avifauna	2/3	~1/10
Mid-size mammals	24 species	almost none
Other	more species of ants, beetles, epiphytes, amphibians, & other species	less species of ants, beetles, epiphytes, amphibians, & other species

Other Considerations
	Shade	Sun
Weeding	Lower	Higher
Chemical Fertilizers	Lower	Higher
Pesticides	Lower	Higher
Irrigation	Lower	Higher
Soil Erosion	Lower	Higher
Soil Acidification	Lower	Higher
Toxic run-off	Lower	Higher


	Source: Seattle Audubon Society

		Buy Coffee Now