Early years – Non-Timber Forest Product Research: Maple Sap, Maple Syrup, Birch Sap, Birch Syrup, Value-Added Products – Nutraceutical, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics, Materials, Equipment Improvement Research, Non-Edible Specialty Products, Tree Genetics, Production Improvements and Technologies.
Planning for Production Equipment Research
Equipment research plans began early in 2000 with material scientific expert Dr. Slawa LaMont with early plans to improve processing equipment efficiency. These plans were paused, but are now preparing to move forward once again with the establishment of a research team focusing on innovation in the Maple Forest. Conversations with Cornell Team leadership have shown initial interest in planning with these concepts. We are encouraged by the collaborative spirit and look toward future work together, building on the foundation started by Lew Staats Maple Research Expert.
Over the previous 24 years equipment continues to be improved upon by manufacturers and their researchers and increased efficiency levels of production are being achieved with various fuel sources such as, wood, wood pellets, wood chips, and steam.
Technology in the Maple Syrup industry is fascinating. Research is a catalyst for understanding Maple Trees and the intricacies of efficient food production. International Research Teaching Forests continues to advocate for equipment research partnerships in the Glendale Forest to build on innovation in the Forest Food production sector.
Early Foundation Work Completed to establish Glendale Operation as the Altantic Canada Non-Timber Forest Research Centre
Planning for the Future Generations
In 2003, a collaborative framework of planning between the Glendale Forest Field Station and six Atlantic Canadian Universities identified key researchers in 7 areas of scientific research expertise from Dalhousie, St. FX, University of Prince Edward Island, Acadia University, Memorial University, and the University of New Brunswick. This planning together was exciting – setting the foundation for the first- ever Atlantic Canadian Non-Timber Forest Research Center planned for Glendale, Nova Scotia, Canada – a private sector Industry Partner and Multi-University partnership!
A formal presentation was submitted to the Federal Government AIF fund with the University of New Brunswick spearheading the University participation selected to be named Project Proponent. This proposal was met with high levels of interest and favor and it was stated to be visionary -perhaps ten-plus years ahead of its time- with a suggestion to resubmit at a later date.
2024 – We are back!
Glendale Maple Trees produce Maple Syrup with Accolades
Springing Forth from the Glendale- River Denys Mountain Forest in Cape Breton Island,
Nova Scotia, Canada …
Comes nature’s purest blend of sun and trees.
Mystical, wonderful, and overflowing with nutrition…….
From the mountain Maple and Birch Trees comes the delectable Sap….
Springtime unfolding to nurture our bodies…….
A special gift from the Trees to You……….
Taste a small amount of the goodness that brings life to green leaves in our magnificent
Canadian landscape……
Indulge and rejuvenate yourself with this rare and beautiful product from nature herself…
From the Canadian Glendale Forest….TO YOU.
The International Maple and Birch Teaching Forest Company
Glendale, Nova Scotia, Canada.
*No additives or preservatives
.
The world is full of a number of things… We should all be as happy as Kings!
-Catholena Payne
From the abundance of the Forest comes food, clothing, shelter, lessons of life, and place for spiritual solace.
The Community can work together to harvest the benefits of the forest with care and respect.
The Forest provides a bounty of food and life supplies. When we plan carefully and work very hard we can be beneficiaries of the goodness and share with others.
Team Canada & Glendale Award-Winning Maple Syrup
Maple Syrup is a Forest gift the world now has come to enjoy. This delicacy is now sent out to 60 countries around the world.
Natural. Pure. Flowing from the Sugar Maple Trees. Springtime’s Bounty.
North American Maple Council
International Maple Syrup Institute
Conference and Meeting Session
Quebec, Canada
The Holland College Culinary Institute Programming Chefs worked to produce Maple Confections from Glendale Syrup in the International Showcase of Atlantic Canadian Natural Food.
Team Canada
– Taste of Atlantic Presentation – Chicago, USA
Value-Added Product development for Glendale Maple Sap and Syrup
Glendale Maple Syrup commercial production took place in Glendale from 1986 with the onset of a pilot project followed by the establishment of a commercial federally inspected food plant. Maple Syrup produced from the River Denys Mountain Range, Glendale Maple Trees during that time period was awarded ” Best in the World” by the North American Maple Council- in the classification of “Medium Dark Amber” judged from samples from all producing states and provinces in North America.
Experience
Joyful is the Spring Ritual of tapping the Sugar Maple Forest to receive the pure Tree Sap,
Embracing the thrill of seeing the sap- flow coming down the mountain into large sparkling stainless storage tanks,
Walking peacefully through the 150- year- old Forest with the sound of spring birds softly…
Speaking to your senses…
Becoming overcome by the sweet aroma of sugar in the gentle breeze…
Watching the fire burn beneath the large evaporator pans… and finally…
Carefully pouring the warm Sweet Syrup gently on the clean snow
to playfully roll the strands of maple sugar in circles
Placing it slowly in your mouth to finally experience the explosion of tantalizing flavor sweetness against the sour of a plump dill pickle wrapped
In Maple candy on a stick.
This has been the experience of romance with the Glendale Maple Forest Syrup in all its Natural Delight…
Maple Syrup is used in a Gourmet Natural Combination – with some suggestions as follows:
Topping for crepes, pancakes, waffles, French toast, breakfast cereals or Johnnycakes;
to flavor eggnogs, milk, yogurt, and “blender” drinks, coffees and teas; vinegars, mustards and dressings;
to flavor a topping such as whipped cream for pumpkin pie;
as a sauce on rice pudding, ice cream, and baked custards:
to glaze pears, peaches, pineapple, grapefruit or other fruits;
as a sweetener for baked apples, fruit cups, or applesauce.
in pies and crisps, spreads, frostings, jams, cookies, cakes;
in rice and vegetable dishes, as well as sweet and sour preparations;
in combination with fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries, and other berries;
in countless ways…. delicious!
The sustainable practice. management techniques and guidelines were implemented from guidelines established by the research of both the Cornell University Maple Research Farm, New York, USA. the late Lew Staats, and the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Facility, Vermont, USA with research conducted by leading maple syrup researcher the late Dr. Maria Morcelli.
As the Forest has been resting over the previous few years, International Research Teaching Forests Incorporated aspires to reignite the Maple Syrup Production Facility 2025 in alignment with its educational objectives and mission of research and training related to nontimber forest product demonstration -building on the benefits of rural community employment opportunities and the amazing benefits of the Forest. Work must be completed to prepare for standards 2025 and going forward.
Excerpt from Letter to Colleagues Journals Forests
Special Issues Non-timber Forest Products Perspectives in a Bioeconomy:
The European Commission in 2020 defined a bioeconomy as encompassing sustainable production of renewable resources from land, fisheries, and aquaculture environments and conversion into food, feed, fiber bio-based products, and bioenergy as well as related public goods. A forest-based bioeconomy is posited to reduce the environmental impacts of economic growth through improved management that ensures sustainable production and consumption. While forests cover a third of the global land area, they are weakly included in bioeconomy strategies, and non-timber forest products (NTFP) are absent. The plants, fungi, and animals that produce NTFP are essential to peoples’ food, medicinal, energy and livelihood security and sovereignty, and healthy and resilient forest ecosystems, and as sources of phytochemicals and further products, thus constituting integral parts of any forest-based bioeconomy. Getting these products recognized as just that and then integrating them into local, national, and global efforts to develop bioeconomies requires expanding perspectives of what is included in a bioeconomy. A forest-based bioeconomy is much more than recycling or new advances in biotechnology. Indeed, achieving wider transitions may contribute to solving the global challenges of biodiversity conservation, climate change and eradicating absolute poverty by increasing the value of standing forests and addressing the urgent needs of forest-reliant people and communities.
Source: The International Union of Forest Research Organizations ( IUFRO) task force Unlocking the Bioeconomy and Non-Timber Forest Products is facilitating the special issue Non-Timber Forest Products and the Bioeconomy.
Some Identfied Key Expertise
Dr. Ann Dale https://www.royalroads.ca/people/ann-dale
Dr. David Bernard https://www.royalroads.ca/people/david-p-bernard
Dr. J. Kevin Vessey https://www.smu.ca/academics/school-of-the-environment-faculty.html#KevinVessey
Dr. Gina Mohammed https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38275368100
Derek Masselink https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/38275368100
Dr. Alice MacGillivray https://www.royalroads.ca/people/alice-macgillivray
Dr.JamesL.Chamberlainhttps://www.fs.usda.gov/research/about/people/jchamberlain https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/about/people/jchamberlain
Prof. Dr. Dietrich Darr https://www.hochschule-rhein-waal.de/en/faculties/life-sciences/organisation/professors/prof-dr-dietrich-darr
Dr. Verina Ingram https://www.wur.nl/en/Persons/Verina-Ingram.htm
Dr. Carsten Smith-Hall https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Carsten-Smith-Hall
Daniel Moura Da Costa Teixeira https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Daniel-Teixeira-7
Prof. Dr. Jinlong Liu
Paul Kroeger
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kroeger-57806a39/?originalSubdomain=ca
Aaron Wightman
https://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellmaple/contacts/
Why is Non-Timber Forest Products Research and Development Important at this Time?
Recognition is emerging of the value of Non-Timber Forest Products. Individual projects in specific fields of research related to the forest are often done in isolation of one product from another. To grow the knowledge base on compatible management there is a need for linkages between different disciplines. A focus research cluster on Non-Timber Forest Products with an Industry Forest Field Station developed at this time will allow the catch-up required of an under-researched field of study. It will achieve the catch-up by creating linkages between other disciplines of research directed at Forest benefits that have already developed to greater depths of understanding and bring to the forefront applied Non-Timber Forest Products research and development for new economic growth in rural communities by way of the on-site Forest Field Station developing prototypes and pilot projects to prove-up market benefits. Demonstrations offer the ability for the community to become interested in Non-Timber Forest Products and can also create an expansion of the industry as awareness rises.
Source: Synthesizing Knowledge from Diverse Disciplines – The importance of Non-timber Forest Product Research and Successful Incorporation into Sustainable Forest Management
The Co-production of NTFP with Timber and other Non Timber Goods and Services
https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/FIA/HTML/FIA2008MR202.htm