**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE MAPLE SYRUP INDUSTRY PLAYS A PROMINENT CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND ECOLOGICAL ROLE THROUGHOUT THE NORTHERN HARDWOOD FOREST REGION OF THE US, YET ITS SOCIOECOLOGICAL RESILIENCE IS REMARKABLY LOW DUE TO THE INDUSTRY'S RELIANCE ON A SINGLE SPECIES (SUGAR MAPLE) FOR ITS ENTIRE PRODUCT LINE. MOREOVER, COMPARED WITH SPECIES-DIVERSE MANAGED FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, MONOCULTURE SUGARBUSHES PROVIDE FEWER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES TO SOCIETY. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO ESTABLISH THE SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE FOR DIVERSIFYING THE MAPLE SYRUP INDUSTRY TO INCLUDE A GREATER NUMBER OF TREE SPECIES (I.E., OTHER THAN MAPLES, BIRCHES, AND WALNUTS) THAT PRODUCE SUFFICIENTLY LARGE QUANTITIES OF FLAVORFUL AND NUTRITIONAL SAPS THAT CAN BE PROCESSED INTO SYRUPS. THE RESULTS WILL LEAD TO NEW ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR LANDOWNERS WHILE ALSO ENHANCING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS TO ADAPT AND RESPOND TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE. THESE OPPORTUNITIES MAY ALSO RESULT IN NEW INCENTIVES TO PROMOTE FOREST CONSERVATION AND, IN TURN, INCREASE THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF GOODS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THE REGION'S RESIDENTS. THIS PROPOSED HAS FOUR MAIN OBJECTIVES:1) IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE FACTORS THAT CONTROL PATTERNS OF SAP FLOW DURING THE WINTER AND HOW THESE FACTORS RELATE TO THE COLLECTION OF SAP FROM DIVERSE TREE SPECIES.2) EVALUATE THE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF TREE SAPS AND SYRUPS FROM DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES;3) ASSESS CONSUMER PREFERENCES AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR NOVEL TREE SYRUPS, AND THE WILLINGNESS OF SYRUP PRODUCERS TO ADOPT PRODUCTION OF NOVEL TREE SYRUPS;4) QUANTIFY THE AMOUNT OF DIFFERENT GOODS AND SERVICES THAT CAN BE PRODUCED FROM FORESTS COMPRISED OF DIVERSE SAP-PRODUCING TREE SPECIES AT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE.THE STUDY WILL FOCUS ON 5 PROMISING TREE SPECIES COMMON IN THE REGION'S FORESTS: ALDER, BASSWOOD, BEECH, HOPHORNBEAM, AND AMERICAN SYCAMORE, AND WILL COMPARE THE OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THESE SPECIES WITH SUGAR MAPLE AND BIRCH. THE RESEARCH WILL BE CONDUCTED ON LANDS OWNED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AND INCLUDES STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDER GROUPS IN THE REGION, INCLUDING UNIVERSITY EXTENSION OFFICES, MAPLE PRODUCERS' ORGANIZATIONS, LAND TRUSTS, AND INDIVIDUAL SUGARMAKERS. ANTICIPATED OUTPUTS FROM THE PROJECT INCLUDE:1)TWO GRADUATE STUDENTS AND ONE POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE TRAINED IN THE SCIENCE AND PRACTICE OF SUSTAINABLE AGROECOSYSTEMS;2) ONE EXTENSION MANUAL ON THE MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMIC POTENTIAL FOR DIVERSIFICATION OF THE SYRUP INDUSTRY, INCLUDING TECHNICAL GUIDELINES FOR SAP EXTRACTION, SYRUP PROCESSING, AND MARKETING OF NOVEL SAP-PRODUCING TREE SPECIES;3) A LANDSCAPE SCALE MAP OF THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF DIFFERENT GOODS AND SERVICES (CARBON STOCKS, TIMBER, SYRUP) PROVIDED BY FOREST STANDS WITH DIVERSE SAP-PRODUCING TREE SPECIES;4) PUBLICATION OF FOUR SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL ARTICLES, INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE HIGHLIGHTING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS,THAT AFFECT THE SYRUP INDUSTRY;5) AT LEAST SIX OUTREACH PRESENTATIONS AND FACILITATED DISCUSSIONS GIVEN AT REGIONAL MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS, OR FIELD DAYS ORGANIZED BY SYRUP INDUSTRY PARTNERS;6) BROAD DISSEMINATION OF THE RESULTS IN VARIOUS POPULAR MEDIA OUTLETS, SUCH AS NEWSLETTERS, RADIO SHOWS, NEWSPAPERS, WEBINARS, ETC., TO INCREASE CONSUMER AWARENESS OF DIVERSE TREE SAPS AND SYRUPS.BY ESTABLISHING THE SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TO GUIDE THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIVERSIFIED SUGARBUSH SYSTEMS, THIS RESEARCH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO STRENGTHENING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SYRUP PRODUCTION, EMERGING MARKETS, FOREST-BASED GOODS AND SERVICES, AND THE RESILIENCE OF HUMAN AND NATURAL SYSTEMS TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE