Stockton’s Maple Project presents syrup sale and adopt-a-tree event

By Breanna Vanaman on March 31, 2025

Stockton’s Maple Project held an event on Saturday, March 29 between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., where members of the community were brought together to pick up their syrups from the previous Adopt-A-Tree events.

Lake Pam near the NJ Parkway. Photo courtesy of Breanna Vanaman.

Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Matthew Olson, signified the importance of the event, stating, “[today] is really about bringing community together and promoting the idea of using our forest in a way that is not overly taxing.” Stockton alumni, current students, and faculty attended and volunteered to help to make sure the day ran smoothly. If someone did not adopt a tree at the first event, there was syrup available to purchase along with t-shirts.

Some of the activities held included a nature walk, syrup tasting, and arts and crafts for the children to learn about the environment. Refreshments such as lemonade and cookies were provided on the 80 degree day, and the nature walk took about 30 minutes and was led by Olson, who provided information on types of species of trees at Stockton University. Some of the tree species introduced to the group were the pitch tree pine and the shortleaf pine. During the guided tour of the forestry, identification markers for the trees were taught to the group from the bark of the tree to the pine cones.

Sap is collected from the trees into the circular tubing at Stockton Maple Grove. Photo courtesy of Breanna Vanaman.

Debra Sommers, an Education Specialist at Stockton University, spoke with The Argo about the Stockton Maple Project, saying, “We have almost over 600 trees tapped here on a tubbing system.”

“The Adopt-A-Tree program is for anybody, it is free, and it’s part of our program,” continued Sommers, “In the fall, they come pick a tree so you’ll see the name tags on them. So, they get to name them and pick their tree. And then they come in January and we tap the trees so they get to see how the trees are tapped.”

Community involvement in the syrup making process allows for everyone to learn about and understand the process as to how and why trees are tapped, as well as how tree tapping affects the flora.

The syrup sale and tree-tapping allowed the Stockton community together in the name of educating the importance of trees in the environment, as well as how syrup can be made in a healthier way. Follow @stocktonmapleproject on Instagram to look out for future events.