Maple Silviculture Workshop: Managing Stands for Resiliency and Syrup Production

What management practices can increase both sugar production and forest health in maple stands?

Yale Forests and South Face Farm will hold a free Maple Silviculture Workshop: Managing Stands for Resiliency and Syrup Production at South Face Farm in Ashfield, Mass on June 28^th from 9 am to Noon.

Tom McCrumm has managed South Face Farm as an 1,800-tap sugarbush for nearly 40 years. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to assess how different management approaches have shaped the forest trajectory over time.

First, Joseph Orefice and Yale Forests staff will teach attendees to assess the density and health of their maple stands to inform silvicultural decisions.

Then, we’ll delve into silvicultural techniques for not only promoting sugar production, but also the health and diversity of the forest for years to come.

At the end of the session, attendees will have the opportunity to put into place what they have learned by participating in a hands-on management exercise. Participants will come away feeling confident and motivated to pursue silvicultural treatments in their own sugarbushes.

Agenda:

9 am: Welcome and Introduction to silviculture 9:30 am: History of South Face Farms management, led by Tom McCrumm

9:45 am: Evaluating sugarbush health and density in managed and unmanaged stands

11:00 am: Hands-on management exercise – selecting trees to leave and trees to remove.

11:30am: Regroup and discuss everyone’s recommendations.

12:00pm: Wrap-up and Evaluations Attire:

Attendees should dress appropriately for summer in New England. Comfortable, sturdy, closed toed shoes should be worn, as we will be walking throughout the forest to different sites

RSVP: Encouraged, please email shaylyn.austin@yale.edu  if you would like to RSVP in advance.

Approved for 3.0 Category 1 CFEs by SA