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Serving Northern St. Louis County, Minnesota

Sap spigot could be turned off

Tree Board offers ordinance to eliminate maple tree tapping

Keith Vandervort
Posted 4/25/18

ELY – The City Council here is likely to move toward stopping the flow of sap from city-owned silver maple trees. Recommendations from the Ely Tree Board at a public hearing Tuesday night, along …

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Sap spigot could be turned off

Tree Board offers ordinance to eliminate maple tree tapping

Posted

ELY – The City Council here is likely to move toward stopping the flow of sap from city-owned silver maple trees. Recommendations from the Ely Tree Board at a public hearing Tuesday night, along with over-zealous tapping this spring by two Morse Township families who refer to themselves as the “Blue Bag Crew,” are likely enough incentive for city officials to pass an ordinance outlawing the time-honored tradition.

Two Tree Board members and a city resident were the only people who spoke at the public hearing. Written testimony from the Tree Board, and another city resident were put in the record. Mayor Chuck Novak indicated that council members would debate the issue at their May 1 regular meeting and “come up with a resolution.”

The sticky sap situation came to light in early March this year after dozens of blue plastic bags and tapping equipment practically showed up overnight on city-owned maple trees all over town. With Ely still in the grasp of winter, the out-of-town tappers clearly jumped the gun on the traditional “first-come, first-served” approach, used for decades in the city, and staked their claim to the sap.

In an email to the city, long-time tree tapper Tony Colarich wrote, “We never had any controversy or issues with anyone else collecting sap in the city of Ely. Everything changed this year when a group of non-residents decided to put large blue sap-collecting bags on 90-percent of the available maple trees one month before the sap started to run. The event ruined my desire to make maple syrup this year. Making maple syrup is supposed to be fun.”

In an April 6 letter to the editor in the Timberjay, Morse Township resident Natasha Brekke and the “Blue Bag Crew” introduced themselves.

“We are two young Ely families.  Each winter we look forward to the upcoming maple syrup season, a four-generation tradition for both of our families.  The tradition began with grandparents from both families who inspired a love of this sweet treat.  Due to aging themselves and family moving away they were no longer able to continue, so they passed on their equipment and experience. 

“For the last several years we have enjoyed tapping in the area with our families.  As our families have grown to seven children between us, all under the age of seven, the challenges have grown to include them as we collect sap on roads that have become inaccessible.  Wanting to include our children in this family tradition, we began exploring more accessible trees.  This led us to the trees in town last year.  We were fortunate enough to speak with a gentleman who had been tapping the Ely silver maples for years.  He was very welcoming and was glad to see there were young families participating in maple syruping.”  

This week, the Tree Board presented recommendations to the council. “The Tree Board does not believe the tappers are doing so with malicious intent,” said Tree Board member Dixon Shelstad. “Most tappers are apparently doing this as a hobby. This tradition has taken place for many years on city streets and (in) parks. We recognize and respect the history of tree tapping, but recommend that the practice should be significantly reduced and eventually eliminated.”

The health of all city-owned trees is at the top of the list for the Ely Tree Board. “Our hope is to educate the public about this issue,” said Tree Board member Mary Groeninger. “This is not a reaction to the early-tapping activity observed this year.”

Many of Ely’s older silver maple trees are showing evidence of dieback, according to the Tree Board. The likely cause is numerous street tree stresses,that may include tapping. “Ely trees are not declining from tree tapping alone,” Shelstad stressed. “Some trees have been tapped for years and are still living. Trees won’t fall over from tapping. There are many contributing factors. Tapping is only one factor, but it is one that can be more easily controlled or eliminated.”

He went on to say that tapping sugar maple trees in a sugar bush is an acceptable practice, while tapping urban trees is not recommended. “This practice is prohibited in all cities with a forest department that we contacted. The goal for urban trees is to increase the value they provide by bringing them to maturity, then extending life past maturity. This requires managing in ways that maximize stored energy, regardless of their poor growing environment.”

Groeninger said the Tree Board is interested in extending the lives of older trees and protecting younger trees from tapping.

The Tree Board recommended the following ordinance for the City Council to consider: “No person without written permission of the city administrator shall plant, remove, break, bore into or take any action that will injure or destroy any tree or shrub, the base of which is located in the street right-of-way or on other city land.”

City resident Mary Louise Icenhour, who grew up in Ely and recently moved back to her hometown, said she was shocked by the amount of maple tree tapping in the city this year. “This is not from my childhood,” she said. “I can see some tappng, but it seems to me that we are almost raping these trees. I am happy that you are looking into this and examining the pros and cons.”