NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL OF MAINE • February 21, 2022
Maine winters are long. The sweetest light at the end of the tunnel for some is sugaring season. One thing we’ve noticed as we prepare to tap late-February for our fifth season of sugaring is how varied each year has been in regard to sap flow, syrup yield, and weather overall. According to researchers, across the entire maple producing region in the Northeast, the sugaring season has gotten shorter and started earlier since 1963. The root cause of these disruptions to producing this iconic Maine staple can all be tied to climate change in some way. Support passage of LD 1350, An Act To Expand Maine’s Clean Energy Economy. The more clean energy Maine can host, the better our chances of fighting the myriad side effects of climate change and passing the tradition of maple syrup production on to the next generation of Mainers. ~ Ari O’Neill, NRCM Rising Leadership Team