Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Sustainable Practises

Country:

Canada

Organization:

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

Project Description:

 

CARE FOR THE LAND – Land Stewardship and Environmental Efforts  Tinhorn Creek owners, Kenn and Sandra Oldfield, have embraced a multifaceted stewardship approach to protect the critters in the vineyards and the environment in their care. As a result of their efforts, The Land Conservancy (TLC – www.conservancy.bc.ca) has recognized Tinhorn Creek Vineyards as a Conservation Partner. The ongoing stewardship programs include: ENDANGERED SNAKE PROTECTION PROGRAMTinhorn Creek partnered with the South Okanagan-Similkameen Stewardship Program (SOSSP) on a Snake Pilot Project to protect snakes and workers. The project included snake barrier fencing and worker safety training.The fence, just over a foot high, keeps the snakes out of the vineyard and in their natural areas. When visiting the winery, visitors can see the fence off to the left as they drive up the main driveway.Based on the success of this pilot project, the SOSSP reports that snake fencing is being used in many other local areas including residential developments, a resort, and a hydroelectric substation. Fencing is also used to keep snakes off roadways where traffic mortalities are high.The success of the Worker Safety workshops prompted the Agricultural Environment Partnership Initiative to fund this project for another season. ANTELOPE BRUSH HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAMThe Antelope Brush habitat of the south Okanagan is a fragile ecosystem. In 2004, Tinhorn Creek staff with TLC and SOSSP replanted over 600 native shrubs, wildflowers and bunchgrasses at the top of the Tinhorn Creek vineyard. This was the second replanted area on the property.In 2006, an SOSSP representative reported a high survival rate of most species including sumac, rose, mock orange, yarrow, brown-eyed Susan, sage and buckwheat. Unfortunately, many of the antelope brush plants have not survived. This is not surprising, but still disappointing, as larger plants do not replant well. Maintenance and supplemental planting was performed in 2008. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY DALMATIAN TOADFLAX WEED CONTROL In June 2004, Tinhorn Creek looked for an environmentally friendly way to deal with the non-native Dalmatian toadflax weeds. Instead of using herbicides, 400 Mecinus Janthinus (stem-boring beetles) were released. Although the adults feed on leaves and stems, the damage is done after the females lay eggs inside the stems. As the larvae mature, they feast on the inside of the stems and disrupt the weed’s growth.The goal is to establish a long-term balance between the beetle and toadflax populations. The program is working successfully. Most of the plants in the target area are stunted and not flowering. The beetles are busy doing their jobs and have spread to patches of toadflax more than 100 metres from the original release site.  PROTECTING THE NATURAL HABITATThe team at Tinhorn Creek Vineyards believe that as stewards of the land, they must strive for a balance between agriculture and nature. They work hard to protect the indigenous plants surrounding the vineyards and have reintroduced many plants to areas razed during past construction projects. The goal is to create a natural habitat that promotes and fosters a place for beneficial critters and bugs. Some replantings include: Antelope Brush (Purshia tridentada) – a “signature plant” that only occurs south of Penticton. Sometimes referred to as the antelope-brush ecosystem, this plant community is globally imperilled and is one of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems. The majority of the remaining tracts are on privately owned land. Antelope brush is a member of the rose family; in May it blooms with tiny, brilliant yellow flowers. It grows in well-drained soils, composed of windblown sand and gravel deposited by the melt waters of the Ice Age glaciers. Cryptogrammic crust – a layer of lichens and mosses over the soils – retains moisture, aids with seed propagation and helps to prevent weed establishment. Smooth sumac (Rhus glabra – Rhus, meaning “red” and glabra, meaning “smooth”) – its name denotes the smooth bark of this plant combined with the deep red hue of its leaves in the autumn. Smooth sumac is found at lower elevations of the Okanagan Basin. It spreads rapidly and forms an excellent slope stabilizer. The berries of this shrub provide an important winter food source for birds. Throughout the year this plant changes its look considerably. In spring, it blossoms with small pyramid-shaped yellow flowers. In the summer, its leaves look bright green and waxy. In the autumn, the leaves of this deciduous shrub turn vibrant red for a short time and then fall off for winter. Brittle prickly-pear cactus (Opuntia fragilis) – the only species of cactus found in the southern Okanagan Basin. Interior native people used the inner stem of this cactus as an additive to soups or mixed with fat and berries in cakes. The brittle prickly-pear cactus is found throughout Tinhorn Creek’s property. While patches were disturbed during the building of the winery, the team’s sensitive approach since construction has helped to retain many plants. In late spring to early summer, look for small peach-coloured flowers that turn to yellow on this cactus.   SUSTAINABLE PRACTICESCurrently in place at Tinhorn Creek’s winery and vineyard:

• Because the winery enjoys a desert climate, fungicide, pesticide and herbicide sprays are minimally used compared to wetter viticulture areas in the world.
• The team monitors crop and canopy of the vines on an ongoing basis, which is important for early detection of any mould and pest problems. Weather stations help them predict mould conditions so that they can reduce their spray program.
• When the winery planted their vineyards, they chose pest-resistant rootstocks to match drought and soil conditions.
• The vineyards utilize a mixture of grass seeds for vegetation between the vine rows. This permanent cover crop helps to enhance the soil quality and reduces erosion and runoff. In addition, all prunings, leaves and clusters removed during the year are left in the vineyard rows to add to the soil’s organic nutrient content.
• Diesel used for the vineyard is stored in a double walled enviro-tank.

  Habitat Surrounding the Winery

• No toxic baits or fumigants are used to control vertebrate pests in the Tinhorn Creek vineyards. Instead the team modifies the pests’ habitat (such as removing unnecessary brush and rocks) and also uses exclusion techniques (such as snake fencing, deer fencing, netting and sound repellents for birds).
• Habitat for beneficial birds (such as owls, hawks and eagles) is maintained, including all trees bordering the vineyard property. The winery team has also encouraged songbirds with bluebird nesting boxes throughout the winery land.
• Tinhorn Creek has protected areas of their property through agreements with The Land Conservancy so that sensitive areas will not be developed.
• All of Tinhorn Creek’s vineyards have a buffer zone between the vineyard blocks and surrounding sensitive areas – either in the form of other neighbouring vineyards’ blocks or a cleared zone of at least 6.1 metres.
• The winery team consults frequently with local biologists that are familiar with the sensitive species on the winery’s property to help the team make decisions on how to manage their vineyard operations around these species. The winery also participates and hosts various collaborative year-round seminars in the south Okanagan to help identify and protect sensitive species they may come into contact with during normal vineyard operations.
• Native grasses, shrubs, and xeriscape are used whenever possible around the property. The team uses native bunchgrasses, plants and hydro seeding to renew areas that have been disturbed.

 Winery Cellar and Grounds

• Landscape residuals are chipped and used again on the property as mulch or added to compost.
• All grape pomace (seeds, skins and stems during harvest) is composted on-site for direct application to the vineyards.
• Diatomaceous earth (DE) used in wine filtration is incorporated into the compost.
• More frequently, cold stabilization of white wines (tartrate stabilization) utilizes a filtration technology that no longer requires the use of bulk chilling of tanks – a very costly use of energy in a wine cellar.
• Used barrels are sold or recycled – approximately 200 wine barrels per year.
• Barrels are treated with steam rather than hydro-filling to reduce water usage at the winery.
• All wines undergo analysis “in house” which reduces the need to ship samples to be analyzed off-site.

  Packaging and Shipping

• The winery’s wine bottles are made from 35–50% recycled glass and 90% of the glass is produced within 190 km of the winery. All of the glass comes in on full truckloads to reduce the winery’s carbon footprint.
• The amount of glass bottles purchased from Europe is decreasing year by year and the winery does not source any packaging products from Asia – again to reduce the carbon footprint.
• All bottles poured in the tasting room are recycled.
• All cardboard received into the winery is recycled.
• All used paper is recycled. Paper stock and cash register tapes are made from 100% recycled paper.
• All plastic pallet wrap waste acquired during bottling (approximately 90% of all pallet wrap that comes into the winery) is recycled.
• All wooden pallets that arrive at the winery from glass manufacturers are recycled back to the manufacturers.
• All wooden pallets used for shipping wine to market are recycled in a province-wide pallet system.
• All shipping case inserts come from recycled material cardboard.
• Closer to home sales reduce the winery’s carbon footprint; 95% of Tinhorn Creek’s wine is sold within British Columbia and Alberta.
• Whenever possible, the winery consolidates pallet shipments of wine to reduce shipping.

  Areas of Sustainability Being Addressed in Fiscal 2009

• Expanding the compost program to include filter-pad sheets and other organic wastes from winery operations
• Replanting the area disturbed by the construction of a new septic system with native shrubs and grasses
• Converting a portion of the existing vineyard from overhead irrigation to drip irrigation
• Purchasing an additional diesel enviro-tank for vineyard operations
• Using biodiesel for tractors and other vineyard machinery
• Reducing the amount of water used for tank cleaning in the cellar
• Moving to paperless faxes, CFL lighting and green cleaning products in the offices

      

sue is nominating this project because:

I believe that Timhorn Creek Vineyards (TCV) is a wonderful example of eco-tourism. The Okanagan Valley in BC, Canada is fast becoming a world class wine touring area and the practises at TCV are setting an example for other wineries in the area to follow.