In Brisas del Tonoa village, in the Cubarral municipality of Meta, Colombia, María Umaña sifts through the soil on her farm, the Vuelo Carmesí Ranch.
“If I get a shovelful of dirt, you’ll see more earthworms,” she says. “We have seen more biodiversity in our soil.”
María is a cacao farmer who was born and raised in Brisas del Tonoa. For years, María relied on farming methods that stripped the soil of its natural health, relying on chemicals and synthetic fertilizers to increase food production. A few years ago, however, María began implementing regenerative agricultural practices in her farming through Rare’s Lands for Life program.
“We are in a process of organic transition,” she says. At the Vuelo Carmesí Ranch, chemical fertilizers have been replaced with organic fertilizers, and there is a new reliance on composting. The result has been richer, nuttier cocoa plants, healthier soils, and a cost-savings from the transition away from chemical fertilizers.
To further improve soil health, María started planting native trees and flowers, with an unexpected result; a host of birds began returning to the farm. Toucans, Long-billed Hermits, Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers, and Chacalacas have all begun finding their way to María’s farm.
“We were curious upon seeing so many birds,” she says. In response, María has opened Vuelo Carmesí Ranch to birdwatchers and those interested in the process of regenerative cocoa farming.
“We show tourists the whole process of the cocoa, from its cultivation to its transformation all the way to the cup,” she explains. “And if we see any birds, we’ll teach them about birds as well.”
María tracks the birds she sees on the international citizen science app eBird. To date, she has recorded 115 unique species that have visited Vuelo Carmesí.
“Start exercising environmentally friendly practices,” she advises anyone who wants to see a thriving ecosystem outside their window.
You can follow María on Instagram at Vuelo_Carmesí and on Facebook at Vuelo Carmesí.
Learn more about our work on regenerative agriculture here.