Coco Hill Forest

Coco Hill Forest Hiking trails with amazing views in a regenerative agroforestry setting. Coco Hill Forest is located on Richmond Road, St. Joseph, Barbados. Picnics welcome!

Our 53 acre forest overlooking the East Coast of Barbados features about 3.5KM of hiking trails and a regenerative agriculture project. Among the species you will see at Coco Hill are bamboo groves, royal palms, indigenous tree ferns, various species of coconuts and bananas, coffee, cocoa, pineapples; a total of some 70 species of fruits, herbs, spices and medicinals. Our mission is to help create

food security and build back and protect the biodiversity that was lost to sugar cane monoculture. Nature walks, hiking and “forest bathing” are now self guided. We welcome you at the entrance and give you a map and info about the site and project. We are open everyday, including holidays, from 9.00am to 5.00pm. Entrance fee is 25BBD/adult and 15BBD for children under 12. Hiking shoes and comfortable clothing recommended. Be sure to visit us at the forest for a unique experience.

What have we done with what we have done?
21/09/2025

What have we done with what we have done?

06/09/2024
01/09/2024
26/07/2024

Guyana is future proofing their coconut sector by importing new varieties. I find this interesting as we in Barbados had tried to get some dwarf “18 months” seedlings from Guyana a few years ago.
In the region Jamaica is doing some amazing research with coconuts to the point of DNA sequencing and have created varieties that are yellow lethaling resistant. Dom Rep has tissue culture labs that allows for exponential coconut seedlings production. Grenada with assistance from Mexico is developing a coconut tissue culture nursery. The coconut Nursery project in Guyana is huge and experiments on different varieties.
In Jamaica, Guyana and Grenada their respective MOA give out coconut seedlings free of charge to farmers to plant.

There was an EU ITC CARDI funded coconut project in the region that provided workshops, training, inter Caribbean and to Malaysia training and linkages workshops for Caribbean farmers on the coconut sector.

However since this project came to an end it appears that the effort to create a viable coconut sector has gone dormant. I am speaking subject to correction here as I am not aware of any efforts otherwise.

I fully believe that we need a bigger coconut industry here in Barbados.

There is value in growing coconuts, the vision should be for value added products and import substitution as we do import dry nuts. Demand for green nuts for drinking water is still very huge and most of our tree stock is old and has diminishing yield.
You can intercrop with coconuts - once they get to a certain height you can graze sheep or grow smaller crops like bananas, cocoa etc. it’s a fairly climate resilient tree and can withstand strong winds. It grows in sand at the beach and grows in the clay soils in the Scotland District.

The challenge in Barbados is that there is no agriculture development bank for long term agroforestry crops. Coconuts can take from 5-8 years before full yield and small farmers will not have that cash flow to wait. Intercropping helps but it’s still a long game.

https://www.mensjournal.com/news/world-newly-crowned-best-rum-island-nation This is exactly the epitome and one of the m...
12/06/2024

https://www.mensjournal.com/news/world-newly-crowned-best-rum-island-nation
This is exactly the epitome and one of the modes how Barbados can also look at economic development. Creating high end niche products such as Rum. This is another call out for Barbados Rum to be recognized as a GI product.
Congrats to the people behind R.L. Seale and Foursquare Distillery. Richard Seale Gayle Seale Foursquare Rum Appreciation Society

A good place to relax on vacation.

19/05/2024

Barbados faces legacy of colonialism, debt in its soil

Address

Richmond Road
St. Joesph

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10:00 - 16:00
Wednesday 10:00 - 16:00
Thursday 10:00 - 16:00
Friday 10:00 - 16:00
Saturday 09:00 - 17:00
Sunday 09:00 - 17:00

Telephone

+12465715520

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Coco Hill Forest posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Coco Hill Forest:

Shortcuts

Share

Coco Hill Forest - Permaculture & Organic Agroforestry and Green Therapy

Coco Hill Forest, located on Richmond Road, St. Joseph, Barbados is a 53 acre rain forest overlooking the East Coast of Barbados. Consists of Bamboo groves, hundreds of Royal Palms and tree ferns and several endemic flora native to Barbados. We are growing coconuts, bananas, coffee, cocoa, pineapples and numerous tropical fruit trees, herbs, spices and medicinals. Our mission is both heritage and food security through permaculture, vertical, organic and terrace farming. Our Green Therapy philosophy is about walking through the forest breathing in the oxygenated Trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. There are spectacular look-out points overlooking the hills onto the east coast. A guided tour and hike is offered to our guests which allows them to explore the forest, learn about Barbados tropical flora and ‘bush medicine’. Be sure to visit us at the fruit forest and farm. Open daily from 9.30 am to 4.30 pm Walk in entrance fee BBS 25 per person - walk on your own. Guided tours & Hikes by appointment only. [email protected] or 1246-235-4926