The Peruvian Cloud Forest is facing an unprecedented threat, learn how Choco Sombra is working to protect this irreplaceable natural resource.
James Peters, the founder of Choco Sombra, set out to the vulnerable Cloud forest in Peru to find the people that were on the front line of a realistic plan to protect the region. The people on the front line of the effort were farmers and the land owners who had made the decision to farm their land in a way that would protect the forest while still generating a way for them to support themselves.
These farmers set aside a significant amount of land for preservation. This permits the diverse ecosystem to continue to thrive. Their farming methods include growing their crops under trees that are native to the area. This native tree canopy permits the animals to continue to live in conjunction with the crops, to the benefit of all. While this requires coffee berries to be picked by hand vs machine and other challenges, these farmers understand the long term benefit of keeping the forest intact.
The nutrient rich soils produce crops that have rich flavors and the biodiversity reduces the need for pesticides. We believe in reducing the need for pesticides in general vs just using organic pesticides.