Liam Quirk and his dad, Bill, drill in a birch tree near
Fairbanks to install a tap. Photo by Marlo Saenz

Birch sap will start flowing soon and, starting today,
OneTree Alaska will distribute 200 birch tapping kits to Interior residents who
are interested in learning about birch tapping. 

 

This year, the kits will cost $40 and participants will have
the opportunity to participate in a citizen science activity. The kits
come with instructions, gear and a recipe or two. OneTree lead Jan Dawe said
One Tree will produce home tapping kits for “all who want to work with their
trees, experience the icy fresh taste of sap and try their hand at making birch
syrup at home.”

 

Participants may observe, record and submit their daily sap
flow data to OneTree. Dawe said the goal is understanding how sap is moving
across the Tanana Valley Watershed and how climate change may be impacting
early spring events in the annual life cycle of birch. Those who participate
will receive a 4-ounce jar of birch syrup.  She would also like to collect
data from individuals who received the kits last year and plan to participate
again. 

 

Individuals may pick up kits at the OneTree Studio in the
Lola Tilly Commons from 4-6 p.m. today, by appointment and will continue each
day as supplies last. Contact OneTree at onetreealaska@gmail.com.
The entrance is on the side facing Patty Gym. Contact OneTree if you want to
arrange a weekend pickup.

 

 UAF climate scientist Rick Thoman has forecast that
sap will begin flowing the third week of April and the median forecast date for
green-up is May 13, five days later than average.

 

The OneTree program is affiliated with the University of
Alaska Fairbanks Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. The program
provides forest education to students, and conducts research on birch sap
processing methods and on the conditions that lead to when sap flow begins and
peaks.