Meet the maple tree!
Maple trees belong to the genus Acer, and there are over 100 species! The word Acer is derived from a Latin word meaning "sharp," which refers to the characteristic points on the leaf lobes.
Worldwide, maples are one of the most important groups of trees for planting in lawns, along streets, and in parks. They offer a great variety of form, size, and foliage; many display striking autumn colors. Several yield maple syrup, and some provide valuable wood for building furniture, baseball bats, and musical instruments. Maples hail mostly from Asia, but some species are native to North America, including Sugar maple (A. saccharum), Red maple (A. rubrum), Silver maple (A. saccharinum), Boxelder (A. negundo), and Bigleaf (A. macrophyllum).
Recent research suggest maples are foundational species, meaning they play a disproportionately large role in shaping and maintaining their ecosystems, as well as in increasing local species diversity. History shows maples are also a foundational species for humans - and have played a vital role in the fabric of societies throughout the world.
Maple in our lives
Maple trees are revered for their dense wood, sugary sap, and gorgeous fall foliage. They are popular ornamental trees for homeowners and businesses, in big cities and small towns. They provide food for a variety of insects and offer nest sites for birds and squirrels. They have befriended many a family - hoisting tire swings, keeping secrets, and offering refuge on rainy days. Maples are more than just trees - they are friends, family, and community stabilizers. While their value to people is immeasurable, here are a few key economic contributions from maple trees:
Maple in Music
Maple is a “tonewood,” meaning a wood that carries sound waves particularly well. Maple is used in countless musical instruments, including clarinets, recorders, and the back, sides, and neck of violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. Many guitars, including Fender and Stratocaster, have maple necks, tops and veneers. Indeed many legendary musicians, including B.B. King, Jimmy Hendrix, Prince, and Les Paul, had deep connections to their instruments and the maple they comprised.
Maple in Food
Of the 13 species of maple found in North America, 3 of them produce sap that can be turned into maple syrup. Maple syrup has an important and complicated history here in the U.S. Early in the 16th century, the First Nations people shared their maple syrup process with Europeans, allowing the establishment of a thriving domestic industry. In the 1790s, maple syrup was even touted as a local and ethical alternative to Caribbean sugar cane. Today, maple syrup is a staple in countless dishes - not just things we eat for breakfast!
Maple in Sports
Today, over 90% of MLB bats are made from maple! Historically, bats were made from Ash because it is a light and flexible wood. However, due to the invasion of the Emerald Ash Borer, a wood-eating insect, bat producers have started depending on maple wood for building baseball bats. But today, maples are facing an emerging threat from the invasive Asian Long-horn Beetle. This beetle has been found in X number of states, and threatens maple trees throughout the US. Will you join us in saving our maples?
threats facing maples
meet the asian longhorned beetle
The Asian longhorned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) is a destructive, wood-boring pest that kills maple and other hardwoods. It most likely came to the United States inside wood packaging material from Asia. The beetle was first discovered in Brooklyn, NY in 1996 and now currently infests areas in New York (1996), Illinois (1998), New Jersey (2002), Massachusetts (2008), Ohio (2011), and most recently South Carolina (2020). The Asian longhorned beetle has no natural enemies in the U.S. and, thus, has the potential to destroy millions of acres of America's treasured hardwoods, from national forests to backyard trees.
What you can do to help
Sign our petition to the United States Department of Agriculture, to voice your support for elected officials to ACT on the new APHIS report, which includes expanded regulations targeting invasive insect pests.
In addition to signing our petition, here are a few guidelines you can implement:
Don't move firewood. All life stages can survive hidden in firewood. Remember: buy local, burn local.
Don't move regulated material, such as firewood, nursery stock, wood debris or lumber from host trees
When planting trees in quarantine zones, plant only non-host trees.
Allow authorized workers access to property to inspect trees.
Know and follow the quarantines in your area and learn to leave Hungry Pests behind
Inspect your trees. If you see signs or symptoms of infestation, report it immediately by calling 1-866-702-9938 or report online.