Plant Enhancement Activity (health spouts)

EPL43 – Improve plant health and vigor by utilizing tubing and health spouts taps (≤5/16”) based on the live circumference of each tree: 10-17” dia. (36-54” circ.) = 1 tap; ≥18” dia. (≤55” circ.) = 2 taps – Health Spouts

The Conservation Security Program (CSP) offers a new enhancement activity to reward or encourage the increased health and vigor of plants by using health spouts at 5/16” or smaller and utilizing the live circumference of each tree to determine the number of these, health spouts per tree. If the tree is 10-17.9” in diameter (36-54” circumference), then one health spout should be utilized per tree. If the tree is greater than 18” in diameter (greater than 55” in circumference), then two health spouts will be utilized per tree. The larger spouts would be replaced with health spouts.

Improve plant health and vigor by utilizing health spout taps (≤ 5/16") based on the live circumference of each tree: 10-17"dia. (36-54" circ.) = 1 tap; ≥18"dia. (≥55" circ.) = 2 taps Payment equals $50 acre. (Payment based on 2 taps per tree).

Benefits

After a hole is drilled into a tree to be tapped, the sap coming out of that hole will run dry within approximately six weeks. Therefore, new holes need to be drilled into producing trees every sugaring season. The size of the hole being drilled into the tree is dependent on the size of the spout being tapped or pushed into the tree. The larger the hole, the larger the wound to the tree. An operator cannot drill into the same wound area from year to year because the wounded area becomes nonfunctional due to the scar tissue that is formed. Therefore, it is healthier for the tree to drill smaller holes into it so that wounds are smaller and as a result, more area can be utilized for drilling from year to year.

By utilizing a health spout, the operator can drill a smaller hole into the tree than they would if they were using a more standard spout, which has a larger diameter than the health spout.

Equally important are the number of holes drilled into a tree per season. The more holes, the more wounds, leading to increased nonfunctional drilling areas to utilize from season to season. That’s why, in addition to utilizing health spouts, it’s important to also drill holes for these health spouts depending on the circumference of the tree. These specifications are as follows:

Criteria for PL43 – Tubing with Health Spouts

Attach a plan map showing the field locations where health spouts are being utilized.

References

• 1998-1999 Small Spout Research at the Proctor Maple Research Center, Timothy D. Perkins, Ph.D Director of Research
  Proctor Maple Research Center, University of Vermont http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/smallspt.html. For further information about this or other research at the Proctor Maple Research Center, Contact Dr. Tim Perkins at (802) 899-9926 or tperkins@zoo.uvm.edu
• COMPARISON OF THE "SMALL” SPOUT WITH THE TRADITIONAL 7/16” SPOUT, T.R. Wilmot, T.D. Perkins, B. Stowe, and A.K. van den Berg, Proctor Maple Research Center, The University of Vermont, Underhill Center, Vermont, Maple Syrup Digest, 2007.19A(2). June 2007 pg 20-26. http://www.uvm.edu/~pmrc/smallspout.pdf

CSP Enhancement Certification Sheet

EPL43 – Improve plant health and vigor by utilizing tubing and health spouts taps (≤5/16”) based on the live circumference of each tree: 10-17” dia (36-54” circ.) = 1 tap; ≥ 18” (≥ 55” circ.) = 2 taps - health spouts

Participant Acknowledgement Statement:

I agree to apply this enhancement under the terms and conditions of my CSP contract and understand the requirements of the activity.

Compensation will be on a per acre basis as described in my CSP contact.

I agree that the following information will be provided to NRCS upon request:

• Written documentation of the activity performed.
• Copies of dated receipts for equipment or services purchased.

I understand that it is my responsibility to obtain all necessary permits and to comply with all laws, regulations and ordinances pertaining to the application of these activities.




Accepted by: ___________________________________ Date:_____________

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