Addressing climate change is an urgent global concern and Shelburne Farms is integrating climate action into all aspects of the organization.
As we develop our Drawdown Plan, the two primary focus areas are:
- Developing climate action education programs for educators, students, and visitors.
- Planning for campus and operational improvements, including land management, green building, and renewable energy initiatives.
We are in Phase One of our climate action efforts. During this phase, Shelburne Farms Institute for Sustainable Schools is developing professional learning programs and resources for PreK-12 educators with an integrated focus on climate change. In addition, the organization is piloting energy improvement projects and is continuing the conversion to renewable energy, with a goal that solar power will produce all electricity used by the farm. In order to greatly reduce the climate impacts of farm operations, we will also research and evaluate livestock and manure emissions.
At the end of Phase One, we will have a fully developed Climate Action Plan with a set of climate action strategies, processes, and priorities for Shelburne Farms to reach carbon drawdown by 2028, and support the climate action of thousands of others through our education programs.
