Somerset County Park Commission’s Environmental Education Center Offers Maple Sugaring Programs

Participants Will Learn How to Tap Trees and Collect Nature’s ‘Liquid Gold’
"Maple Sugaring" programs are available beginning Feb. 19 to March 13. Residents must register online. Space is limited.

SOMERVILLE, NJ – Register for the “Maple Sugaring” program, hosted by the Somerset County Park Commission’s Environmental Education Center for residents of all ages. This first of several 60-minute Maple Sugaring programs begins on Feb. 19 and continues through March 13.

“If you want to fight the mid-winter doldrums, join us for our Maple Sugaring program. Being out in nature is a great stress-reliever and learning about the history of maple sugaring is fun and interesting,” said Somerset County Park Commission Secretary-Director Geoffrey Soriano. “Participants will see first-hand how maple syrup is collected and produced while connecting with nature.”

Maple sugaring is a centuries-old tradition that Native Americans and settlers began in the Northeast. Participants will learn the history of Maple Sugaring while watching how trees are tapped, the sap is collected, and maple syrup is refined through the boiling process.

Dates & Times
On Saturday, Feb. 19 three sessions are available from 10 to 11 a.m., noon to 1 p.m., and 2 to 3 p.m. Additional programs will be held on Feb. 20, 26, 27, and March 5,6,12, and 13. For more information, click here.

Registration
Participants must register online at least 24 hours before the start time of the program and should use activity number 52000. Space is limited. Click here to register online. For more information, call 908-722-1200 ext. 5002.

Organized Group Outings
Organized groups can schedule a private program. For more information about group pricing, or to schedule a group outing, call 908-722-1200 ext. 5332.

Cost
The program costs $6 per student/senior and $7 per adult.

Program Location
The program is located at the Environmental Education Center (EEC), on 190 Lord Stirling Road, in Basking Ridge, NJ. Participants should check-in at the front desk of the EEC approximately 20 to 30 minutes before the start-time of the program so there is enough time to hike to the maple sugaring location.

What to Wear
Participants should dress appropriately according to outdoor weather conditions. Boots are recommended for trails that are wet, muddy, or snow-covered.

Somerset County Park Commission
The Somerset County Park Commission stewards nearly 15,000 acres of county-owned open space, which is visited by 2 million park users each year. Five golf courses have three driving ranges, a pitch and putt course and a recreational putting course. Other attractions include a riding stable, an environmental education center, two tennis facilities, an outdoor pool, paddle boating, a rock and rare plant garden, an award-winning rose garden, arboretum, and a sensory and fragrance garden. Six county parks also offer amenities, such as athletic fields, picnic facilities, bike paths, fishing, birdwatching, cross country skiing, and hiking.