Climate Change Impacts on Maple Forests and Sugarmakers - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

climate change impacts on maple forests and sugarmakers
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Climate Change Impacts on Maple Forests and Sugarmakers - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Climate Change Impacts on Maple Forests and Sugarmakers Legislative Policy Research Summit on Climate Change November 18, 2014 Lisa Chase Tim Wilmot Vermont Tourism Research Center Proctor Maple Research Center Maple Contributes to


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Climate Change Impacts on Maple Forests and Sugarmakers

Tim Wilmot Proctor Maple Research Center Lisa Chase Vermont Tourism Research Center

Legislative Policy Research Summit on Climate Change November 18, 2014

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Maple Contributes to…

Environment Economy Culture

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United States Maple Production, 2014 Gallons and Percent by State

Source: USDA NASS

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Syrup Production over Time

  • Production has been driven by demand and aided by

technology but weather plays a role (2012)

Source: Proctor Maple Research Center

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Change in Tapping Season

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Forest Health

  • Expansion of invasive plants

Oriental bittersweet Japanese barberry in a sugarbush

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Forest Health

  • Stressed maple trees are more

susceptible to insects and disease

  • Monocultures are especially hard hit

Sugar Maple Borer

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Syrup Quality

  • Microorganism growth
  • Syrup quality may suffer, less table grade

and more commercial and substandard

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Adaptability of Sugarmakers

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Findings from Interviews

  • Some are concerned with climate change

impacts in the future

  • Tremendous diversity within the maple

production industry:

– Annual maple production – Products and services offered – Technology used – Business management in general

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Mail Survey of Sugarmakers

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Mail Survey Underway

  • Mail survey of Northern Forest regions of

Vermont and New York

  • 1052 sugarmakers in VT and 270 in NY
  • Caledonia, Essex, Franklin, Lamoille,

Orleans and Washington Counties of VT

  • Adirondack Park in New York
  • October – November 2014
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Model of Adaptability

Research funded by the Northeastern States Research Cooperative

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Next Steps

  • Survey data will quantify perceptions and

generate business adaptability scales:

– Management – Customer base – Technology

  • Identify significant facilitators and barriers
  • Focus group will develop strategies to plan

for and adapt to climate change

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Acknowledgments

  • Collaboration with SUNY College of

Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF), the NYS Maple Producers Association, and the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association

  • Funding provided by the Northeastern

States Research Cooperative