Perceptions of U.S. and Canadian maple syrup producers toward climate change, its impacts, and potential adaptation measures

Abstract

The production of maple syrup is an important cultural and economic activity directly related to the climate of northeastern North America. As a result, there are signs that climate change could have negative impacts on maple syrup production in the next decades, particularly for regions located at the southern margins of the sugar maple ( Acer saccharum Marsh.) range. The purpose of this survey study is to present the beliefs and opinions of maple syrup producers of Canada (N = 241) and the U.S. (N = 113) on climate change in general, its impacts on sugar maple health and maple syrup production, and potential adaptation measures. Using conditional inference classification trees, we examined how the socio-economic profile of respondents and the geographic location and size of respondents’ sugar bushes shaped the responses of survey participants. While a majority (75%) of respondents are confident that the average temperature on Earth is increasing, less than half (46%) believe that climate change will have negative impacts on maple syrup yield in the next 30 years. Political view was a significant predictor of these results, with respondents at the right right and center-right of the political spectrum being less likely to believe in climate change and less likely to anticipate negative effects of climate change on maple syrup production. In addition, 77% of the participants indicated an interest in adopting adaptation strategies if those could increase maple syrup production. This interest was greater for respondents using vacuum tubing for sap collection than other collection methods. However, for many respondents (particularly in Canada), lack of information was identified as a constraint limiting adaptation to climate change.

Migration‐based simulations for Canadian trees show limited tracking of suitable climate under climate change

“…As noted, such areas could be critical for conservation and forest management planning moving forward. Temperate species that lag considerably behind their suitable climate could be targeted for assisted migration as part of forestry operations (Pedlar et al, 2012) or non‐forestry commercial purposes (Legault et al, 2019). In fact, our simulated distribution limits provide defensible targets for assisted migration efforts aimed at mimicking natural migration patterns.…”

Comparing Motivations, Learning Interests, and Barriers to Expansion Among Non-commercial and Commercial Maple Syrup Producers in Wisconsin

“…In 2022, Wisconsin produced 440,000 gallons of maple syrup [1], making it the fourth-leading state by annual production volume (USDA-NASS 2022). Nationwide, the majority of sugarmakers produce maple syrup as a hobby or for supplemental income (rather than as their main livelihood; Legault et al 2019). As of 2017, 83% of Wisconsin operations have less than 1,000 taps, 8.6% have at least 2,000 taps, and less than 1% have at least 10,000 taps (USDA-NASS 2019).…”

Maple Syrup: Chemical Analysis and Nutritional Profile, Health Impacts, Safety and Quality Control, and Food Industry Applications

“…With increasing climate change awareness, there is contention about evidence for a climate optimum for syrup production based on a standardized protocol for collecting sap from individual trees under natural conditions. There are indications that there will be shorter sap flow with warming winter temperatures if traditional tapping schedules are maintained [ 103 ]. Modeling the relations among climate, sap flow and sugar concentration is necessary to gain an understanding of the basic eco-physiological responses underlying climate effects on syrup production [ 104 ].…”