April 4th, 2016

In Canada, the sight of buckets hanging from the sides of maple trees is a sure sign that spring has arrived. During the month of March, the Waterloo Region District School Board outdoor and environment education staff have been busy collecting sap from the trees in the sugar bushes at the Laurel Creek Nature Centre and the Camp Heidelberg Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre.

Students studying our First Nation peoples, European explorers and early settlers in Upper Canada learn about the historical significance of maple syrup and the various methods of its production. The equipment used to produce maple syrup has evolved greatly over time, from the hollowed out logs used by Canada’s aboriginal people to the stainless steel evaporators used today. Like all outdoor and environmental programs, the Maple Syrup program is highly interactive, allowing students to learn about this piece of Canadian heritage in a fun and engaging way.  Students assist with the collection of sap, learn how to tap a tree and see maple syrup production first-hand as the watch the evaporator turn the fruits of their labour into delicious maple syrup!

The Maple Syrup program is just one of many outdoor and environmental education programs operated from our five outdoor education centres: Blair, Laurel Creek, Camp Heidelberg, Wrigley Corners and the Huron Natural Area.

To learn more about our outdoor and environmental programs, please visit the Outdoor Ed Guys Blog!

For a light-hearted look at syrup making, we invite you to check out “The Sugar Bush is Just Awesome”, a music video featuring the talents of Sean McCammon, the WRDSB outdoor and environmental educator at the Laurel Creek Nature Centre.