PHONE: (313) 593-5644
DATE: Feb. 3, 2006
Volunteers are needed to help with maple sugaring activities in the Natural Areas at UM-Dearborn
DEARBORN---It's almost maple syrup season for the Natural Areas at the
University of Michigan-Dearborn, and volunteers are needed to assist with
several maple sugaring activities.
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A group of schoolchildren watch as EIC program
coordinator Dorothy McLeer demonstrates the proper way to use an
auger to bore into a sugar maple without harming the tree.
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The Environmental Interpretive
Center will hold a tree tapping event from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday,
Feb. 11.
Participants will learn to identify the proper trees for tapping and
then have the opportunity to use old-fashioned hand crank bits and braces
to put holes in sugar maple trees.
Individuals and organized groups are welcome to attend the event. Group
size is limited to 10 people. Volunteers also should expect to spend at
least an hour in the woods with a moderate amount of walking in icy or
muddy conditions and should dress accordingly.
After tapping trees, participants can warm up with hot chocolate inside
the interpretive center.
Volunteers also are needed to collect sap on various days between Feb. 20 and March 16, including weekends. Participants meet at 4 p.m. at the EIC and are in the field collecting sap for about two hours. Individuals and organized groups are welcome to participate. Participants must be at least 6 years old. To register, contact Rick Simek, program supervisor for the Environmental Interpretive Center, at (313) 583-6371.
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