National Park Delight from El Salvador 500g

National Park Delight Coffee

National Park Delight Coffee from El Salvador is our latest direct and fair trade coffee from Central America. A cooperation between the Bavarian Forest National Park and the Montecristo National Park in El Salvador, existing since the beginning of 2018, is a true asset for both protected areas, but also for us as a coffee roastery and for you. Because the coffee resulting from this cooperation, originating from the Montecristo National Park area, is a coffee that is guaranteed to be environmentally friendly and grown without the use of chemicals. In addition to the health benefits for the end consumer, the coffee farmer also benefits from an uncontaminated product. Direct trade, bypassing the coffee exchange, ensures fair compensation for the coffee farmers. The association, which is responsible for cultivation, maintenance, processing, and distribution, places special emphasis on the equality of men and women and young people. Additionally, with every package of "National Park Delight Coffee from El Salvador" sold, 1 Euro is donated to the Montecristo National Park.

Supported by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the association "Flüchtlingshilfe Mittelamerika", the partnership between the two national parks was initiated both domestically and overseas. A visit in December 2017 by National Park Director Dr. Franz Leibl and a delegation of staff to El Salvador was followed this June by a return visit to the Bavarian Forest. Research, tourism, regional development, and environmental education were on the agenda for the almost two-week stay of the five-member visiting group. Also among the luggage of the guests from El Salvador: a sample of green coffee from Montecristo National Park.

National Park Director Franz Leibl and coffee roaster Jens Kirmse have already launched several projects together, such as the Kaffee de Luchs, which supports the lynx project in the Bavarian Forest. Beyond research and environmental education, the cooperation thus also gains a culinary component. "This allows people in the region to financially support our partners in Central America," says Franz Leibl.

The coffee was subjected to an intensive quality test for taste and appearance by coffee roaster Jens Kirmse and was rated as excellent by him. The coffee was immediately ordered from the cooperative. After a month-long sea voyage, it finally arrived in Zwiesel via Hamburg.

Bavarian Forest National Park and Montecristo National Park

The two national parks have much in common:
Both are the oldest protected areas in Germany and in El Salvador respectively. Furthermore, the coniferous forest areas are threatened by the bark beetle. A key point of the reciprocal visits was the natural control of the tree infestation that has become a plague in both areas. National Park Director Franz Leibl is pleased that knowledge accumulated through decades of experience can now help in Central America. But the cooperation is not just meant to be assistance. Dr. Franz Leibl and his staff also hope for equally valuable impulses. The goal is to foster a partnership of equals. Another major topic is the change in biodiversity due to climate change. Montecristo National Park is part of the trinational Trifinio Fraternidad Biosphere Reserve, which extends over areas of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Here too, similar to the Bavarian Forest and Šumava, the Czech Bohemian Forest, it is important to find common solutions and coordinate across borders. Of great interest to the visitors from El Salvador was the work of the rangers and junior rangers.

El Salvador Coffee - Coffee, Direct and Fair Trade

Montecristo National Park is part of the UNESCO Trifinio Fraternidad Biosphere Reserve. Tropical dry forest, pine-oak forest, and cloud forest characterize the national park, which lies up to 2400 meters above sea level. Spider monkeys, anteaters, pumas, agoutis, and toucans are native to its lush flora. Oaks and laurel trees often reach a height of up to 30 meters. Our "National Park Delight Coffee from El Salvador" is at home in this diverse, species-rich forest area.

The organization or cooperative that produces and processes the coffee is located in the municipality of La Palma in the Chalatenango Department. The organization's goal is to produce 100% organically grown and high-quality coffee. Production and processing are designed in all stages so that the product does not burden the environment but rather contributes to the decontamination of both the product and the environment.

Sounds good, but what exactly does that mean? Overexploitation, unsustainable agriculture, and climate change have already destroyed a significant portion of the ecosystem. To make agriculture environmentally compatible, the REDAPRODARE association was founded to develop agro-ecological alternatives. REDAPRODARE is supported by Flüchtlingshilfe Mittelamerika. The organic fertilizers are fungus-based, using Bokashi. Plant protection agents are naturally produced from nematodes and Trichoderma fungi. For our coffee, this means: during the coffee washing process, the minimum amount of water required is used. The resulting honey water is then used for further Bokashi processing and later applied as organic fertilizer on the coffee farms. Since the establishment of the coffee plantations, the coffee plants have received no other fertilizer than the organically produced one. Meanwhile, the fertilizers and plant protection agents produced this way are being used throughout the country. Coffee cultivation, plantation maintenance, picking, and processing provide work for hundreds of people. The goal is to guarantee a long-term livelihood for local people through coffee cultivation and continuous cooperation, such as with our coffee roastery, based on sustainable agriculture.

Taste and Quality of El Salvador Coffee

The National Park Delight Coffee from El Salvador has been convincing in every respect. After the coffee rust crisis, many cooperatives had to give up their organic certification. Thanks to the support of REDAPRODARE and Flüchtlingshilfe Mittelamerika, the Agasacare cooperative was able to continue focusing on organic cultivation and prepare its entire concept for the future. Tested in an independent laboratory in Guatemala, the coffee from El Salvador achieved 82 points, thus qualifying as a very good coffee.

Robustly spicy at first impression, the National Park Delight from El Salvador also captivates with a harmoniously creamy, chocolatey taste and sweet notes of apricots.