Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is pleased to announce that it has received Gold Certification from the international accreditation body Green Tourism. The Okanagan winery has long been committed to crafting world-class wines using sustainable viticultural practices as well as providing ongoing support for a program to re-establish its namesake, the endangered burrowing owl, in BC’s grasslands.
Founded in 1997, Green Tourism launched in the UK. The world’s largest and most credible sustainable tourism certification program, Green Tourism has certified over 2300 businesses in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Canada. It is the only 100% third-party verified sustainability program for tourism businesses in the world.
Burrowing Owl is the first Canadian winery to become Gold Certified by Green Tourism. The Gold Certification it received recognizes the winery’s adherence to the highest standards of environmental sustainability in all aspects of its operations, from vineyard to cellar to restaurant and Guest House. A few highlights of Burrowing Owl’s sustainable practices are noted below.
* The winery donates its $3 wine shop tasting fee to the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society’s captive release program
* In 2007 the winery upgraded its irrigation system, including solar energized water probes that test the soil at root depth, thereby increasing its energy efficiency by a factor of 2 and conserving water
* The vineyard has an Integrated Pest Management policy that uses friendly insects and birds to keep damaging insects under control. There are more than 100 on-site bluebird boxes and bat nursery boxes, and the nests of ground-nesting birds are protected by barriers in springtime
* The winery’s production and storage facilities were built on a steeply sloping hillside, a design which substantially reduced the building footprint and allows the winemaking process to use gravity to move the wine through the various stages from top to bottom
* The underground cellars provide natural cooling during the summer and warmth during the winter, saving energy
* The Sonora Room Restaurant sources as many ingredients as possible from local suppliers and farms, reducing carbon emissions related to transportation and helping support the local economy
* At the Guest House, the HVAC system and a portion of the hot water are generated by an extensive ground-sourced geothermal system
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
500 Burrowing Owl Place, Oliver
1-877-498-0620
About Burrowing Owl Estate Winery: Burrowing Owl Estate Winery is devoted to producing world-class wines using creative viticultural and winemaking processes that are in harmony with the unique ecosystem where the grapes are grown, which includes the northernmost tip of the Sonora Desert. The winery is known for supporting the conservation work that is helping the burrowing owl make a comeback in British Columbia.
http://www.burrowingowlwine.ca/
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About Green Tourism: Founded in 1997, Green Tourism launched in the UK as a way to help restaurants, hotels, tour operators, and tourist attractions enhance their environmental sustainability. The organization helps businesses work toward minimizing negative environmental impacts while maximizing their contributions to local communities and economies. It stands out from other organizations in its field because of its rigorous standards: some other certification programs allow self-assessments, but Green Tourism members are reviewed by professional sustainability experts. The experts review criteria in eleven different categories, including resource consumption, sustainable purchasing, energy efficiency, and cultural involvement.
The world’s largest and most credible sustainable tourism certification program, Green Tourism has certified over 2300 businesses in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Canada. It is the only 100% third-party verified sustainability program for tourism businesses.
Follow Green Tourism on Facebook and Twitter
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Congratulations Burrowing Owl! You continue to provide inspiration for our BC industry.