New Biosphere Commitment Program Member: Caravan Farm Theatre
Join TOTA in welcoming Caravan Farm Theatre to the Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Program.
Caravan Farm Theatre was established in 1978 in the small, agricultural town of Armstrong, BC. Despite what the name suggests, they are not a farm, but, instead, a rural space that is designed for the production of professional theatre, especially large-scale, outdoor productions.
Sustainable Initiatives
Caravan Farm Theatre uses the land as its venue and the fields and forests as its stage, so the team works diligently to act as stewards of the land they work and perform on. The theatre is operated on 80 acres of land and is located on the unceded, traditional territories of the Secwépemc Nation and the Syilx Okanagan Nation. It is the environment and community of the Northern Okanagan that inspires the team to make sustainable choices, and because the health of the land they operate on is directly linked to the health of their organization, Caravan Farm Theatre chooses to make sustainable choices whenever and wherever they can.
When asked about the experience working with TOTA’s Biosphere Commitment Program, Artistic & Environmental Programs Manager Vicki Stroich had this to say: “Biosphere Committed gives us a clear framework that we can use to understand the impact of choices we make and find inspiration for new actions as we look ahead. It gives us a vocabulary we can all use as we discuss sustainability. It also helps us think of sustainability holistically in a way that includes not only the flora and fauna here on the land or the operational systems like our water, power, and waste management, but also the people we engage with as an arts organization: our staff, volunteers, artists or audiences.”
Recently, Caravan Farm Theatre has partnered with the Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship and Land Conservancy of BC to improve the biodiversity of the land they operate on, including recent work on FireSmarting their property and other properties around their neighbourhood.
Biosphere Commitment Program
The Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Commitment Program is a sustainability program offered by the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association. The focus is to equip tourism businesses in the region with tools and resources to continuously measure, manage, and report sustainability management efforts. The program prepares businesses for a globally recognized certification, to show alignment of business operations with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the Thompson Okanagan Biosphere Destination Certification.
Organizations can create customized sustainability plans through the Biosphere Sustainable Lifestyle platform and access dedicated support from industry experts.
Learn more about TOTA’s Biosphere Commitment Program
