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A28 SCIENCE
Thursday 23 February 2017

Maple syrup producers face challenges in warming world

MELANIE PLENDA “The other day we had a
Associated Press nice 50-degree day which
DURHAM, N.H. (AP) — New is kind of the new normal
Hampshire’s maple syrup but still not normal,” said
producers say they are Jeff Moore of Windswept
feeling the impact of cli- farm. “One of the chal-
mate change, as winters lenges we’ve had to start
become warmer and frig- weighing is when do we
id nights so critical to their actually tap because put-
business become fewer. ting a tap into a tree is a
Producers joined climate wound, the trees natu-
experts and Democratic rally act to try to compart-
U.S. Sen. Maggie Has- mentalize that wound and
san of New Hampshire on wall it off.”
Tuesday to talk about the The longer the tap has
state’s changing climate been exposed to the en-
and how it is affecting one vironment, the sooner the
of the state’s most impor- tree is going to wall it off,
tant industries. Moore said.
Some producers talked “When I was growing up,”
of seeing a steep drop in he added, “you didn’t
the amounts of sap they want to tap too early, be-
are getting, while oth- cause if you tapped too
ers are dealing with an- early you’d miss all of the
other trend attributed to Parker’s Maple Barn employee Jon Jonis carries maple tree sap he gathered from metal buckets, good weather at the end
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in Brookline, N.H.
warmer temperatures in Associated Press of the season, when most
which the sap goes up to of your sap is running. So
the top of the trees rather Farm in Durham. “With the shire, New York, Pennsyl- “Unfortunately, we are al- that gets a little more chal-
than down to taps. Others environmental changes vania and Vermont pro- ready seeing the real im- lenging now.”
complained about a drop we’ve been seeing, it’s duced 3.78 million gallons pacts of climate change But despite the challenges,
in the sugar content of down to 15 gallons. That’s of syrup in 2016, according on our economy — includ- some producers and ex-
their sap. a dramatic loss for us. And to a Northeast maple syrup ing on our maple syrup
“When I purchased the I don’t know what to do production statistics service and ski industries,” she said, perts at the University of
farm in 2000, “I was get- about it.” run by the U.S. Department referring to warmer win- New Hampshire say tech-
ting 75 gallons of sap,” said Connecticut, Maine, Mas- of Agriculture. Vermont ters and a decline in snow nological fixes are helping
Ray LaRoche of LaRoche sachusetts, New Hamp- is the clear leader, alone cover. the industry adapt — and
producing more than 47 The ideal temperatures for even extend the season.
percent of the country’s sap production are in the “Climate change is man-
maple syrup. 20s at night and 30s and made, and that’s the
Hassan said the state’s 40s during the day. When good news,” said Cam-
changing climate can the climate is in the 50s and eron Wake, who leads a
have dramatic effects on 60s during the day and the research program at the
the natural resources that nights stay warm, sap runs University of New Hamp-
“define us as a state and not to the taps, but to the shire that’s investigating
are critical to our econ- tops of the trees, causing regional climate change.
omy, our environment, the tree to bloom. That can “Because if we caused the
and our way of life in New lead to a cloudy and off- problem, we can fix the
Hampshire.” tasting product. problem.”q