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Managing Forests for Maple Syrup

Treehaven, Tomahawk, Wis.

Managing Forests for Maple Syrup

Sept. 25, 2024 | 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Writing forest management plans and managing forests for maple syrup production presents its unique challenges. The sentiment that you “don’t cut sugar maple” could use some critical thinking and review. In this workshop, we will explore maple syrup production, state and federal policies regarding sugarbush management, and timber marking for sugar maple stand improvement.

Registration opens soon.

WORKSHOP DETAILS

Registration opens soon. To be notified when registration opens, join our mailing list!

Registration Fee: $45

Registration Deadline: September 11, 2025 

Cancellation Policy

If you are unable to attend the workshop, please let us know as soon as possible by emailing wfc@uwsp.edu. Requests received prior to the registration deadline will be granted a full refund. No refunds will be granted after the registration deadline. To receive a refund, make a written request to the Wisconsin Forestry Center.

View the 2024 Workshop Agenda.

Continuing Education Credit

This workshop has been approved for the following:

  • 4.0 ​Wisconsin Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) CEUs​

We are seeking pre-approval for the following:

  • Society of American Foresters (SAF) ​​Cat. 1 CFEs
  • Wisconsin DNR Cooperating Forester CEUs

                

Target Audience

This workshop is designed for foresters writing management plans for forests with sugar maple stands used in syrup production.

WORKSHOP INSTRUCTORS

Eli Anoszko, Ph.D.

Vallier Treehaven Ecologist, College of Natural Resources, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Eli Anoszko is the Vallier Treehaven Resident Ecologist at the UW-Stevens Point Treehaven field station in Tomahawk, where he teaches courses in plant identification and serves as land manager for the 1,200-acre field station. Eli earned a Ph.D. in Natural Resource Science and Management from the University of Minnesota and has worked as a forester for the Minnesota DNR. Eli was introduced to maple tapping by his then-girlfriend, now-fiancée Karen, who tapped maple trees on her parents’ city lot in St. Paul, Minn. Ever since Eli has been hooked on maple. He helped start and manages Treehaven’s maple syrup operation, which currently taps about 150 trees.

Allan Braun

Wisconsin State Forester, Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Allan Braun is the Wisconsin state forester for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). He was born and raised in Fond du Lac County and graduated from UW-Stevens Point with a degree in forest management in 2003. After college he spent 17 years working with the U.S. Forest Service in Alaska, Michigan, Wisconsin, Oregon, and Vermont. He joined NRCS in 2020 and became state forester shortly after. He enjoys spending time with his family hiking, kayaking, cross-country skiing, and fishing in his free time.

Mike Demchik, Ph.D.

Professor of Silviculture, UW-Stevens Point

Michael Demchik is a professor of forestry at UW-Stevens Point. He teaches a range of courses and is involved in research that addresses using silviculture to reach landowner goals. He is particularly obsessed with developing methods to teach students to mark timber better, faster, and with more confidence in their decisions. He has had several jobs across federal, state, and private natural resource management in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Bill Klase

Natural Resources Educator, Extension Forestry, UW-Madison Division of Extension

Bill Klase has been working as a Natural Resources Educator with Extension since 2000, focusing on outreach to new woodland owners through the Learn About Your Land Program. Bill also develops educational materials and programs on an array of issues targeted at woodland owners, and in conjunction with partner organizations in Wisconsin.

Skya Murphy

Tax Law Policy Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

In her role with the Division of Forestry at the Wisconsin DNR, Skya Murphy supports the development of statute, administrative code, and program guidance for the Managed Forest Law (MFL) and Forest Crop Law (FCL) programs. Skya routinely evaluates the compatibility of MFL’s required timber production management objectives with other goals such as maple syrup production. She grew up in Madison and has degrees from UW-Madison (bachelor’s in conservation Biology and Spanish) and Florida International University (master’s in environmental science emphasizing forest management) and completed the Working Forests in the Tropics Fellowship program at the University of Florida. Before joining the DNR five years ago, she was a program and policy analyst at the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

Sam Schuler

Lincoln County Forester, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Sam grew up east of Stevens Point, and his extended family owned a small tract of woodland where he loved spending his free time. After high school, Sam served briefly in the military, then attended UW–Stevens Point for Forest Management. After graduating, Sam worked for the WI DNR as a Forestry Technician, and in 2018 started in Tomahawk as the DNR Forester.

WORKSHOP PARTNER