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Approved Projects DEMONSTRATION Tapping Bigleaf Maple Gary Backlund and a group of Vancouver Islanders have been working to lay the foundations for a commercial West Coast maple sap & syrup industry. Bigleaf maple is North America 's second most abundant hardwood with a wide range of uses. There are well over 2 million m 3 of bigleaf maple growing in B.C., concentrated in the Cowichan, Alberni, Comox and Sayward Valleys of Vancouver Island . Saw logs can be produced in 25 - 30 years on a good site, and the wood is used for lumber, veneer, firewood, wood turning and other artisan uses, as well as wood chips for smoking meat and fish.
The Backlunds have now increased to a commercial volume to work through the details of the maple tap ping business. Tapping our western maple was thought not to be economically viable due to lower sugar content compared to eastern maples. This is probably true if the only market was bulk wholesale syrup. But sold direct to the public as a specialty product, bigleaf syrup can gross $15 per 250-ml bottle. The syrup's taste makes it exceptional in cooking and it is desired by high-end restaurants wanting a unique, West Coast flavour. Although syrup is the traditional use, maple water (sap) also has many uses. As a substitute for water in most recipes it imparts a slight sweetness and hint of maple flavour. Maple water contains essential minerals and vitamins with potential as a health food product, and Maple wine is being produced from the sap with the intent to create a commercial industry. Currently there is little information on bigleaf maple sugaring. Although making syrup from sap is similar to the process used in Eastern Canada , tap ping a different maple species in a very different climate has created some learning opportunities. Working with a network of tap pers at different elevations and microclimates within the Cowichan Valley , this project is also researching what size, configuration and location of bigleaf trees are the best candidates for tap ping. Sap handling and processing can also be difficult, and evaporation is slow without the proper equipment. For those already successful in tap ping large quantities of Bigleaf sap, this project also provides the opportunity to use an evaporator to help them decide whether to invest in building or purchasing one. The knowledge gained from this project is being distributed through workshops, publications and will also be made available on the internet. The Backlunds have already hosted three maple tap ping workshops with plans for several more in 2005. An information sheet on Bigleaf sugaring is available on their website: www.island.net/~maple . An open house will be held on January 8, 2005 at the Backlund's Backwoods, 12685 South Doole Road in Ladysmith. Anyone interested in the development of this new industry is welcome to attend. |
For
16 years, Gary and his family have specialized in the manufacture of Bigleaf
maple lumber and other value-added small-scale forestry activities on their
Managed Forest on the north side of Ladysmith Harbour . After an introduction
to bigleaf tap ping by Harold Macy (formerly with UBC's Oyster River Farm),
Gary has been making maple syrup on a hobby basis and actively sharing
information with others interested in tap ping and sugaring.