How Many Taps?
Tapping guidelines written by state regulators haven’t always kept pace with changes in industry practices or understanding of the science of sap flow, and researchers are working to update tapping guidelines.
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Tapping guidelines written by state regulators haven’t always kept pace with changes in industry practices or understanding of the science of sap flow, and researchers are working to update tapping guidelines.
Using new or clean taps and droplines has a significant impact on sap production.,
This article is intended to accompany the Tapping Zone Model available to download at the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center (UVM-PMRC) website. It provides a general explanation of the model and how it can be used. The model can be used to estimate the chances of hitting conductive and nonconductive wood when tapping, and this can be used to assess the sustainability of current or planned tapping practices.
A model that calculates the proportions of conductive and nonconductive wood in the tapping zone of a tree over time given user-input values for tree diameter and tapping practices.
The overall objective of this work was to determine whether existing Conservative Tapping Guidelines are appropriate and likely to result in sustainable outcomes when used with sap collection practices that result in higher sap yields.
Calculates projected sap yield and net profits based upon known relationships between tubing aging and various management strategies under vacuum conditions.
Research into whether existing tapping guidelines are appropriate to use with ‘high yield’ sap collection practices which remove a much greater amount of a tree’s sap than older systems.
Studies currently underway at the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center (PMRC) are examining the effects of accumulating internal taphole damage on the ability to support future tapping, as well as related subjects such as the effects high vacuum sap extraction might have on tree growth, all with the goal of developing new sustainable tapping guidelines. However, along with focusing on the possible negative effects of tapping and sap extraction, it is important to examine how certain practices might lead to greater sap yields.
An important part of beginning or improving the tubing system in a maple enterprise is to have a good estimate of just how much the project will cost. Though there are many variables in installing a new or replacing an old system the cost of materials is predictable. Two factors allow you to make a reasonable estimate of what a sap collection system will cost in materials. The first is the number of taps per acre. The second is the density of trees.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension educator Kathy Hopkins discusses the best method to safely tap a maple tree.