Environmental Professionals Network- May
May is All About Maple!
Perspectives on the Maple Industry Through the Lens of Forestry, Business, and Policy Development
This year our May EPN Breakfast program will explore the many sides of maple in the state of Ohio! Red, silver and sugar maple trees, as well as the boxelder, are native to our state. These trees contribute a diverse range of environmental services, as well as provide economic and cultural value to our local and regional economies. Learn from a diverse panel of experts who will share about the historical coverage of maples and projections for this family of trees within a changing climate. Our panelists will describe life on maple tree farms to the daily tasks of running a maple-based business. We will also learn about an Ohio House Bill seeking to incentivize maple tree production.
For more information, checkout our speaker profiles and agenda below! …and did we mention, In Good Taste Catering will be serving a delicious, maple-based breakfast?
Speakers
Dan Brown - President, Ohio Maple Producers Association and lifetime maple producer. See full bio here.
Representative John Patterson - State Representative, Ohio House District 99. See full bio here.
Dr. Sayeed Mehmood - Ohio State Associate Professor of Natural Resource Economics. See full bio here.
Kathy Smith - Ohio State Extension Forestry Program Director. See full bio here.
Agenda
8:10am Jeff Sharp, Ph.D. will offer Welcoming remarks, present SENR’s 50th Anniversary Poster for Forestry, review our maple-based menu and introduce of Dr. Sayeed Mehmood our program’s moderator
8:15am Sayeed Mehmood, Ph.D. will provide Introductory comments on the topic of forest products as a tool for conservation, some economic data on the maple industry and an introduction of our panel of guest speakers
8:25am Kathy Smith will review Historical and current coverage of maple trees in Ohio, expectations for future of maple productivity due to climate change, and the basics of maple “sap flow”
8:35am Dan Brown will share his story of growing up with maple and working hands-on in this industry for over 55 years and his p erspectives on current opportunities and challenges in maple production
8:50am Rep. John Patterson will overview a proposed Ohio House Bill seeking a property tax exemption for land used for commercial maple sap extraction and local government reimbursement, and will share some examples of small business development opportunities within the maple industry.
9:05am Moderated Q&A with panel and audience by Dr. Mehmood
9:25am Closing remarks will be provided by Dr. Sharp
Menu
Maple Inspired menu to be announced soon!
Catered breakfasts brought to you by In Good Taste Catering.
Location
Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center
2201 Fred Taylor Drive
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Parking
Parking is free but you must have a pass which you can download here and place on your dashboard, whether parking across the street or behind the 4-H Center.
Registration
OSU students may register for free by selecting the "student scholarship" option on the registration page
For further information about these 2nd Tuesdays Breakfasts or the EPN, please contact Joe Campbell at campbell.844@osu.edu or 614-634-6363.
Event images/recording disclaimer: Registration and attendance at, or participation in, EPN meetings and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to EPN and the School of Environment and Natural Resources use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee's image and voice in photographs, videotapes, and electronic reproduction of such events and activities.