Cacao Gardener Colombia · For the Sacred Forest
Sierra Divina is a young project with the vision to plant 11,111 Cacao trees and establish a regenerative Cacao forest of ten hectares using permaculture design. It is located at the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the North of Colombia, the ancient land of the Teyuna, who call it the 'Heart of the World'.
The founders Ricardo Leyva and Juan Pablo want their Cacao forest to grow in a sacred way. To honour the land and traditions, they reached out to the Teyuna before planting the first Cacao trees in June 2021. One of the Elders performed a 'pagamento' for the Cacao forest, a payment to Mother Earth to keep the balance between giving and receiving.
Ricardo and Juan promise to maintain the growth and wellbeing of the Cacao trees. They feel as well that Cacao is "not a commodity”, but a sacred “plant medicine, a wisdom keeper, a unifier, a Spirit.”
Why we co-create with Sierra Divina in Colombia
- We love to support the sustainable fine Cacao production in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. Cacao beans from this area are well known for their high quality of aroma and flavour.
- Sierra Nevada was designated as one of UNESCO´s Biosphere Reserves. To grow a Cacao forest there helps to protect a global biodiversity hotspot.
- Having the possibility to fund a Cacao forest in the 'Heart of the World' – as the indigenous Teyuna call their land – makes our hearts happy and our faces smile.
Ricardo & Juan Pablo
"For us Cacao is not a commodity. For us Cacao is sacred, a plant medicine, a wisdom keeper, a unifier, a Spirit. Cacao beans, gifted with the flavours and aromas of mother earth, generously nourish our bodies and our souls, open our hearts and teach us to live happy, peaceful and compassionate lives.
We are Cacao guardians in Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, the heart of the world; and we celebrate life by regenerating the soils, by embracing ancient wisdom, by cultivating food rich in minerals and other plant medicines, by maintaining natural reserves to host biodiversity, health and happiness, by empowering the growers with open-source information and by welcoming guests from all around the world to feel inspired, to heal, to be present, connected and in harmony with nature and inner truth.
As a company we believe in the power of business to transform reality, to create positive economic, social and environmental impact. When the only purpose of business is the pursuit of money and trying to meet short term needs the results are economic injustice, social and environmental degradation. Our goal is to achieve the balance of purpose and profit, to honour our long-term responsibility towards society and environment."
– Sierra Divina Manifesto
Plant a Cacao Tree at Sierra Divina in Colombia
Together, we are building a bridge into the Cacao forest.
The Cacao Forest Family Vision
Our initial goal is to secure 450 guardianships and beginning with the Spring Equinox 2022 nurse, establish and plant 1 hectare of Cacao forestry ecosystem with a total of 1,111 Cacao trees, 1,000 temporary shade plants and 130 oak trees that serve as mother shade trees to the Cacao. This is an exciting journey and you are invited to be part of every step from seed to Cacao tree.
Within five years we intend to help planting altogether 11,110 Cacao trees, 10,000 temporary shade plants and 1,300 oak trees adding up to 22,410 trees on 10 hectares of land. It is our intention to seed - with every planted tree - blessings, consciousness and an environment that allows us to put our hands into the soil and feel deepest kinship with the natural world.