Drought takes a toll in northern Minn. sugar maples

Duluth, Minn. (AP) — There may be less maple syrup flowing out of northern Minnesota this spring because two summers of drought have hurt the sugar maples.

Syrup makers are just now going heading into the woods to begin tapping the trees, but many of the trees are too stressed to tap.

While some maple forests are in better shape, the condition of the trees overall could mean less maple sap and less finished syrup. That could lead to price increases.

The cause was record-breaking drought over the summer of 2007, during which soil moisture levels in some areas hit all-time lows. 2006 was also very dry.

Phil Cook operates a 2,300-tree operation in Lake County called Superior Highlands Sugarbush. He's expecting a smaller sap run because of last year's drought

He says the maples have been looking pretty bad on his property, especially at their tops. -------------

Information from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com