Seattle Culture
Trees, Whales, Wine
Browne Family Vineyards takes on climate change
By Rob Smith December 29, 2023
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Seattle magazine.
The Browne Family Forest project began as a personal mission. It’s become a significant contribution to the environment.
Since late last year, Walla Walla’s Browne Family Vineyards has planted more than 120,000 trees in a reforestation effort to mitigate climate change on vineyards and grapes. The family-owned winery has partnered with nonprofit One Tree Planted to identify critical areas that need restoration along the stretch of the Pacific Ocean from Northern California to British Columbia. One tree is planted for each bottle of Browne Forest Project wine that is sold.
The effort seeks to preserve habitat for the Southern Resident orcas, of which only 75 remain. Planting trees along the watershed reduces pollution and improves the health of salmon for the orcas to eat.
It was also created with a commitment to environmentally friendly packaging. Browne Forest Project bottles are 31% lighter than standard premium wine bottles, leading to a reduced carbon footprint. Paper-free design labels save trees.
The ultimate goal of the project is to plant 1 million trees.
Four wines are available as part of the project. Browne Family Vineyards operates tasting rooms in Bellevue, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and Walla Walla.
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