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PRESS RELEASE: Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Receives Gold Certification from Green Tourism Program

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Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Green Tourism

Update: GreenStep Solutions is no longer offering the Green Tourism Canada program and launched  Sustainable Tourism on April 22, 2019 based upon the Global Sustainable Tourism Council Criteria. 

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Receives Gold Certification from Green Tourism Program
BURROWING OWL WINERY

August 11, 2015 (Vancouver, BC) – 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

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/ 
Burrowing Owl Estate Winery | 500 Burrowing Owl Place, Oliver | 1-877-498-0620
Follow Burrowing Owl Estate Winery on Facebook and Twitter
Suggested Tweet: Congratulations @BurrowingOwlBC first Canadian winery to receive Gold Certification from @GreenTourismCan