Maple Research

Health of Eastern North American Sugar Maple Forests and Factors Affecting Decline

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a keystone species in the forests of the northeastern and midwestern United States and eastern Canada. Its sustained health is an important issue in both managed and unmanaged forests. While sugar maple generally is healthy throughout its range, decline disease of sugar maple has occurred sporadically during the pastfour decades; thus, it is important to understand the abiotic and biotic factors contributing to sugar maple health.

Publication:: Northern Journal of Applied Forestry
Date:: October 1, 2002

Influence of Demographic Characteristics on Production Practices within the Ohio Maple Syrup Industry

Maple syrup production contributes approximately $5 million annually to OhioÕs economy and provides supplemental nontimber forest product income for forestland owners. To better understand the factors that influence this important nontimber forest industry in Ohio, including producer heritage, producer age, sap collection methods, size of maple operation, and educational programming, we conducted a detailed survey of all known Ohio maple syrup producers (761 total producers). Over 80% of producers responded to the survey (620 respondents), making our analysis one of the most extensive of a maple industry in North America.

Publication:: Northern Journal of Applied Forestry
Date:: January 11, 2007

Sugar Maple Height-Diameter and Age-Diameter Relationships in an Uneven-Aged Northern Hardwood Stand

Sugar maple height-diameter and age-diameter relationships are explored in abalanced uneven-aged northern hardwood stand in central New York.

Publication:: Northern Journal of Applied Forestry
Date:: January 1, 1999

Vigor and Nutrition vs. Sap Sugar Concentration in Sugar Maples

Although maple dieback has received considerable recent attention in the Northeast, little has been reported about the relationship between sap sugar yield and crown health or crown nutrition. We measured sap sugar concentration (sweetness) in six northern Vermont maple stands in the springs of 1990-1992, and sap volume yield from tapholes at one stand in 1991. The stands differed in average crown dieback, canopy transparency, density, and mean dbh, as well as cation exchange capacity (CEC) of upper soil horizons.

Publication:: Northern Journal of Applied Forestry
Date:: January 1, 1995