A central part of our mission at Harper Macaw is rainforest conservation, which we achieve by building a sustainable supply chain and donating a portion of bar proceeds to help protect the beautiful biome that provides our main ingredient, cacao. The proceeds we donate fund the expansion of rainforest reserves, which are then perpetually protected under Brazilian law. Our current project involves acquiring deforested or threatened land for integration into Reserva Serra Bonita, a private natural heritage reserve and conservation initiative in the heart of Brazil’s Atlantic Forest.
Map of Reserva Serra Bonita and expansion goals
Now that we’ve celebrated our first anniversary (December 2016), we’re able to look back at what we accomplished in our first year of business.
In 2016 Harper Macaw helped Reserva Serra Bonita acquire and protect a large plot of land in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Our direct contribution was nearly 1.4 million square feet or 32 acres (24 football fields), which equates to approximately 30 square feet per bar.
The Atlantic Forest once sprawled from the southern edge of the Amazon rainforest, down Brazil’s east coast to its border with Uruguay, and inland as far as Argentina and Paraguay. Now, only 7% of the original tree cover remains as it has become the world’s second-most threatened biome. In spite of its deterioration, the Atlantic Forest astonishingly maintains biodiversity ranges similar to that of the Amazon rainforest, though only a fraction of its size. The richest area of this tropical forest also happens to be the focal point of Brazil’s cacao industry. Without efforts to restore the Atlantic Forest, the future of this amazing habitat and Brazil’s cacao economy remain uncertain and in peril.
View from top of Reserva Serra Bonita
We’re only able to reach for our goals because of you, our customers. Thank you for your business, engagement, and support. We hope you will continue helping us spread our message and mission. We’re humbled by what we’ve attained so far, but we’re determined and excited for what 2017 and beyond will bring.