Agri-tourism: Selva Negra, Nicaragua
by Sandra Scott

Willkommen to the Black Forest of.... Nicaragua.
At theBarvarian-style gatehouse the guard lifts the red
and white stripped bar permitting entrance into the unique
world of Selva Negra. Here at more than 3,000 feet you
will have to pinch yourself to believe that you are still in
Nicaragua. Selva Negra is a sustainable coffee plantation
that welcomes tourists. From the food on the table in the
lakeside restaurant to the electricity in the quaint half-
timbered cabins, everything needed to run this little
kingdom is produced at Selva Negra.

Located in the highlands of central Nicaragua, the hills
of Selva Negra are draped in green year round and the
temperature is always comfortable. Fourteen trails, six
of which are designed for horses, make this beautiful
and pristine cloud forest easy to explore. It is possible
to spend hours wandering the trails, marveling at the
twisted strangler fig, pausing to locate a singing bird, or
stopping to admire the beauty of a blood red flower against
the deep green forest foliage. Some of the higher trails offer
an impressive view of the rich green valley below.

The howler monkeys, deer, sloth, quail, and guatusas are
just a few of the animals that make the virgin forest their
home. Toucans, hummingbirds, and gold finches make
the area a bird lover's paradise. The luckiest birdwatchers
may even add a quetzal to their inventory. A visiting botanist
identified more than 85 orchids. Hotel Selva Negra, on the
grounds of the coffee plantation, has been in operation for
twenty years. Eddy and Mausi Kuhl, fourth generation
descendants of the original German settlers who established
the coffee industry in Nicaragua oversee both businesses.

Each year the hotel celebrates its Germany heritage with
Oktoberfest complete with draft beer, clowns, and of course,
German music and food. The owners have also introduced
the traditional Easter egg hunt. The farm produces a high
grade of arabiga coffee that is sold in Europe, and is now
making its way into the American market. Herr Kuhl is especially
proud of the fact that his coffee is produced in an "ecologically
correct" manner. Pollution is avoided by using special machines
so that the pulp of the coffee bean can be used as fertilizer.
Kuhl claims that the fertilizer, combined with the altitude,
makes for an especially bountiful flower and vegetable crop.
Biodigesters process the mucilage into methane gas, which
in turn is used by the plantation workers for cooking, eliminating
the need for workers to cut the trees for firewood.

By employing ecologically sound processing methods the
streams have remained crystal clear and the forest intact. The
Kuhls have created a prosperous coffee industry while preserving
the natural integrity of the highland forests. Protecting the
environment is a main concern. They employ five forest rangers
to protect the flora and fauna of the area. Selva Negra has a school
for the children of the workers; a water powered generator for
making electricity, and a dairy farm. They are able to provide
everything for their family, tourists, and the 600 people who live
and work on their land. During the harvest and processing seasons
guests are given a tour of the coffee plantation.

All aspects of the growing and processing are explained with
pride, for it was here that the wet process of coffee bean preparation
was developed producing the famous Matagalpa arabiga washed
coffee. The Selva Negra coffee bean, a gift of the highlands, is
considered to be of excellent quality because it is large in size,
aromatic, and has the proper acidity and body. The sustainability
of Selva Negra was put to the test during the rains that accompanied
Hurricane Mitch. According to Mausi Kuhl, "Selva Negra celebrated
Oktoberfest on the weekend of 24-25. It was beautifulSaturday and
on Sunday we barely saw the sun. It started raining all that night,
the following day, Tuesday, and Wednesday. During the evening hours
mudslides occurred on our road to the main highway..." Through the
joined efforts of all the workers, communicating by radio, they were
able to keep the lost of life to a minimum. Cut off temporarily by
mudslides, they coped better than most.

Mausi wrote, "We had enough supplies thanks to the fact that we
are a sustainable farm. We produce our own food, milk, butter, cheese,
as well as all its sub-products. We have methane gas which we use for
cooking, plus meat, vegetables, herbs, chickens, rabbits, coffee, fruits,
pigs, etc. Even our lakes are not only decorative, but provide fish.
We even have email." (selvanegra@tmx.com.ni)

The road between Managua and Selva Negra is open but what was a
two-hour before the rains in now a three-hour ride. Eddy, who recently
made the trip, said, "It is impressive to see all the destruction on the
way." Selva Negra, in the heart of Nicaragua, is a place where the
wonders of nature are just waiting to be enjoyed and appreciated.
It is a place that will stay in your memory long after you have said, "
Auf Wiederschen."

Sandra Scott is a social studies teacher and
freelance writer from Mexico, New York with twin compulsions --
traveling and writing. In the past 15 years she, her husband, and son
have visited more than 65 countries. She is the author of two local
history book and many travel pieces. She can be reached via
email at Sanscott@northnet.org.