Every year, at the tail end of winter as spring is just starting to return, the Ansonia Nature Center starts collecting sap from our sugar maple trees to turn into genuine maple syrup!
Our popular maple sugaring classes, for both the general public and school groups, fill up quickly! We try to accommodate as many groups as we can, but the timing of the sap flow is dictated by the weather, and sometimes the window is quite small. Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest updates as soon as they are announced.
In September of 2023, the Ansonia Nature and Recreation Center planted 20 sugar maple trees in response to the changing climate and the loss of mature sugar maples throughout the park. Made possible by a grant from the Connecticut Urban Forest Council, this sugarbush benefits future generations of conservationists in the form of educational programming, as well as providing clean air and shade. As the trees mature, they will become part of the larger local ecosystem. The “Legacy Sugarbush” is dedicated to future environmentalists, to those who are no longer with us, and to the ones whose duty it currently is to care for the land.
When you visit, be sure to check out “Sugar Maple Year in a Day,” a mural by local artist and former Park Ranger, Amie Ziner. This mural was painted as part of the Sugarbush Legacy Planting, sponsored by CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Forestry Division – Funded by the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. The mural depicts the life cycle of sugar maples through the seasons, as well as the process of maple sugaring. Contained within are over a hundred animals and features of interest. Use the provided binoculars to see how many you can find!