Sustainability
A commitment to sustainable travel
At La Fora Ecolodge, we are committed to sustainable travel. Sustainability animates and drives everything that we do, and we are working to not only maintain but improve our local environment through sustainable, ethical tourism. This commitment to protecting the environment extends through power generation, water conservation, the La Fora Gardens and our approach to food and food waste at the Bar & Restaurant.
Solar Energy
All the electricity at La Fora is powered by the sun through our solar panel array (18 solar panels that also act as the roof of our carport – take a look at the La Fora entrance!). All our hot water is also generated by solar power through passive, gravity-powered solar water tanks on the hill above the Restaurant.
Pesticide-Free Gardens
All of the La Fora gardens are pesticide-free: the only inputs are sun, water, rich volcanic soil, compost and manure from local goats. This also means you can enjoy an amazing diversity of butterflies, bees, birds and other pollinators that feed on our flowers and populate our gardens.
Composting
All leftover food and garden waste is either composted on site or given to local growers for use as animal feed (yes, pigs do love your leftovers!). The composted food waste then goes back into the gardens in order to grow the next round of fruit and vegetables for the La Fora Restaurant. We also compost all paper waste.
Water Conservation & Recycling
All groundwater on Fogo is replenished by rain, and the more we conserve, the longer this resource will be sustained. At La Fora, all sink and shower water is recycled as greywater to irrigate the gardens. All toilet (black) water goes into septic tanks below each private bungalow; the nutrients and water will then slowly leach out to feed the garden over time.
Water-Conscious Gardens
The La Fora gardens are designed to maximize water reclamation and minimize the need to add fresh water. Heavy water consuming plants like bananas and papayas are clustered in “banana/paw-paw circles” that use mulch pits and the plants’ naturally broad foliage to maximize greywater retention from bungalows. Areas of La Fora without easy access to greywater are planted with drought-tolerant or desert species that need minimal water inputs.
Endemic & Naturalized Species
Fogo has beautiful, diverse plant life, and at La Fora we have planted the gardens using only species found on the island. Some have been given to us by community members, some have been gathered from around Fogo, and many have been propagated by us. We are also thrilled to be able to plant endemic Fogo species like the Dragon Tree and naturalized Fogo species like Baobab.
Tree Planting & Conservation
Along with edible, drought tolerant, and flowering plants, at La Fora we use our gardens to plant trees. We do this to beautify, to capture carbon, to add shade, to create diverse habitats, to add leaf mulch, and to improve the soil. We also have attempted through the construction process to conserve as many trees as possible. On the La Fora grounds you will see old trees, young trees, and even a baby Baobab.
Passive Cooling
All of the Bungalows at La Fora are passively cooled through ceiling vents and window placement that encourages air flow. As we say on Fogo, “mas alto, mas fresco” (“higher is cooler”), and La Fora is situated on the Western slopes of the Caldera, perfectly positioned to take advantage of the sea breezes. You don’t need AC at La Fora; just enjoy the passively-cooled tranquility of your private bungalow.