Asociación de Productores de Café Ecológico Regional Larecaja-APCERL

Asociación de Productores de Café Ecológico Regional Larecaja (APCERL) has been Bird Friendly certified since 2014 and is dedicated to producing organic coffee. Located in La Paz, Bolivia, this region is notable for its soaring mountains and boasts the world’s highest national capital between 3,250 and 4,100 masl.

“The Bird Friendly certification tells us that our product is healthy and good and can help us get a better market price,” said APCERL producer Leonardo Condori on the importance of the Bird Friendly certification, “When I’m in my plot and I see different birds, I feel more acquainted with them. They give me happiness and joy, and they accompany me–it’s like someone is talking to me.”

When asked how seeing birds and other wildlife on his farms makes him feel, President of APCERL, Fernando Hilaquita, noted: “To see the birds with their colors and songs, I feel there is a lot of life on the plots for the joy of us and our children. The birds also tell us if it’s going to rain or if we have drought—they’re talking bioindicators.”

Featured bird on the finca: Swallow-tailed Cotinga

Feathered fact: A small population is found in northwest Bolivia, which may be an unconfirmed new species from the overall population in Brazil and Paraguay. Listed as “Near-Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).