A. Species
Scientific name: Acer saccharum
Common name(s): Sugar maple
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Least Concern
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
- Vermont
Country/Region: Vermont, USA
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: Sub-national / Sub-region / Sub-State
Name/Details of location: 18 sugar maple stands located in 9 counties across Vermont
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 2006
End Year: 2016
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Gathering/Cutting/Collecting terrestrial plants and fungi or their products from the wild
Lethal or non-lethal: Non-Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: Only parts or products of the organism
Purpose(s) of end use: Food and feed and Ceremony and ritual expression
Motivation of use: Income generation from trade (individual/household/community), Largescale commercial exploitation for trade and Traditional/Cultural/Spiritual
Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: National / local government and National / local private sector
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: The status of sugar maples is currently classified as "unknown" in the IUCN Red List. The authors state: "This [...their findings] indicates that tapping practices must be modified for some trees to ensure that adequate replenishment of conductive wood is maintained and that growth rates must be measured to be certain sustainable tapping practices are implemented."
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: The amount of sap that can be extracted annually from trees for maple syrup production using current equipment and practices is more than double the typical yields achievable when current maple industry tapping guidelines were developed. Nevertheless, effects of these recent advances and improved sap collection via vacuum pumps that are capable of propagating vacuum levels of ≥25 in. Hg throughout the tubing collection system, on tree growth rates and sustainability have not been quantified. Data in this study show that an average of 35% of sampled trees had growth rates below the estimated minimums necessary for sustainability.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Effects of recent advances and improved sap collection via vacuum pumps that are capable of propagating vacuum levels of ≥25 in. Hg throughout the tubing collection system, on tree growth rates and sustainability have not been quantified. Data in this study show that an average of 35% of sampled trees had growth rates below the estimated minimums necessary for sustainability.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered unsustainable
Details of assessment carried out: this study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Effects of recent advances and improved sap collection via vacuum pumps that are capable of propagating vacuum levels of ≥25 in. Hg throughout the tubing collection system, on tree growth rates and sustainability have not been quantified. Data in this study show that an average of 35% of sampled trees had growth rates below the estimated minimums necessary for sustainability.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: not recorded
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
Modification of current tapping practices for ca 35% of the trees; stringent monitoring of tree health and growth rates by syrup producers
Record source
Information about the record source: scientific_pub
Date of publication/issue/production: 2016-01-01T00:00:00+0000
Source Reference(s):
Date of record entry: 2022-11-08