Could the warm temps be affecting the maple trees in our region?

PROCTOR, Vt. (WCAX) - A cold Christmas ushered in a warm start to the new year, and that back and forth has confused some of the maple trees in our region.

Experts from the proctor maple research center say some sap is already running there is no need for concern. They say the trees are just responding to the warm temperatures and it doesn’t hurt the tree. Maple specialist Mark Isselhardt says the sap running is likely from younger, smaller trees that are more receptive to an early warm spell. Isselhardt says this early sap could have impacted flavor.

“Typically, what we see if you tap a tree anywhere during the dormant season, so for the fall all the way to a typical springtime sugaring season, generally speaking, the sap is less sweet so in the fall the sap sweetness is lower, and I would count this really early period as well, so generally the sap sweetness would be less than we would see later,” said Isselhardt

Some maple operations are already collecting the runoff syrup.