Guatemalan Coffees are 98% shade grown, counting more than thirty-eight
million shade and coffee trees. The resulting coffee forest extends
approximately 270,000 hectares and makes up 6.4 percent of the
national forest cover.
But, why is shade so important for us? Standing on one of Guatemala’s
coffee-covered hillsides, it is not difficult to understand its
importance. At these higher elevations the sun’s rays radiate
peak levels of intense ultraviolet light; tropical downpours
soak the earth in a matter of minutes; driving winds, and occasional
frost, envelop mountains. Faced with these elements, coffee trees
need protection.
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