What qualifies coffee as bird friendly?

Cooking school online is a great way to learn about cooking with coffee. High-quality coffee has been subject to many prefatory names, including organic, fair trade, direct trade, shade-grown, and  most recently, bird friendly. This may seem like a vague term to describe how coffee is farmed, but it is actually a strong indicator of the quality and environmental friendliness of your cup of coffee.

What makes coffee bird friendly?
The main goal of bird-friendly coffee is to prevent the loss of tropical forests and the species that inhabit them. Therefore, bird-friendly coffee is primarily an environmental designation, with certification run through the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Acquiring a bird-friendly accreditation first requires the coffee farmers to gain an organic certification, ensuring that no pesticides or chemicals are used. Bird-friendly coffee must also be shade-grown, a term meaning that coffee is grown under a natural tree canopy, so that forests are not lost and birds are not displaced.

What are the benefits?
Coffee beans mature more slowly in the shade, giving them a richer flavor. Bird-friendly coffee also prevents environmental damage, encourages biodiversity, protects surrounding communities and supports sustainable farming.