Government of New Brunswick

Maple Sector Leasing Opportunities

maple_catagory

The Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development (DNRED) and the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries (DAAF) are continuing to support the sustainability and growth of the maple syrup industry in New Brunswick with opportunities for new Maple Sugary development on Crown lands.

Application Process – Crown Maple Sugary Lease

maple-erable-1

Proponents may apply for Crown land leases for the purpose of operating commercial maple sugaries in two ways:

  1. New development – Request for proposals (RFP) process administered by Service New Brunswick
  2. Additions to existing maple sugaries – Process administered by DNRED and DAAF

Interested Applicants:

  • Review the interactive mapping tool:
    Maple Sugary Productivity Web Map.
  • Submit a proposal outline for a pre-screening of sites under consideration on Crown Land.
  • Once the pre-screening is complete, a formal application under the Request for Proposals and/or under the Additions to Existing Sugaries can be submitted.

Pre-Screening

Applicants for both the RFP and the Additions to Existing Sugaries processes are encouraged to view the Maple Sugary Productivity Web Map and submit proposal outlines to receive advice on land suitability, operating constraints, and available business development programs.

DAAF and DNRED staff will review the location details as well as the general estimate of costs and revenues and provide feedback to help the proponent prepare a formal application.

Proposal Outline form
Maple Productivity Web Map
For more information – Contact: [email protected] or call (506) 735-2040

 

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Size – at least 5000 taps
Application form –  NBON - Request for Proposal # : 5034006-24
Deadline – January 31st, 2024
Pre-screening – see above
For industry information – HOME | NBMSA (maplesyrupnb.com)

 

Additions to Existing Sugaries

Existing lease holders or adjacent private land sugary business
Size – less than 5000 taps
Deadline – ongoing

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Lessee deemed in good standing by DNRED
  • Business deemed commercially viable by DAAF
  • Adjacent to lease boundary or separated by road, watercourse or other feature or able to connect to existing lease with corridor or by collection and trucking
  • Expansion areas do not isolate or constrain other Crown land
  • > 100 taps per ha; red and sugar maple
  • Pumping stations or other infrastructure other than pipelines must be located within the application area
  •  Isolated parcels less than 1000 taps
    • 1 or more adjacent parcels, each separate parcel less than 1000 taps
  •  1000 to 5000 taps parcel
    • Parcel must have a constraint on forest management operability (ex. stream buffer, eligible conservation forest area) agreed to by DNRED
    • 1 parcel per 5-year period per applicant

Application form – see Pre-Screening above

Conservation Areas on Crown Lands (see Maple Productivity Web Map)


Tapping-only maple sugary leases or lease portions may be issued in certain conservation forest patches and protected areas under conservation easement (Nature Legacy protected areas).

To maintain the purposes of the conservation forest or the Nature Legacy protected area, leases must strictly adhere to the following standards regarding access, site preparation, installation of tubing and facilities, and ongoing maintenance:

  • Sugary management activities are limited to:
    • Minimum tree cutting, vegetation management and soil disturbance, exclusively along the mainlines and solely to allow access by installation equipment and equipment used in the annual maintenance of tubing and monitoring devices (ex. all-terrain vehicle);
    • Removal of downed trees from tubing by cutting immediately below tubing height; and
    • Pumping stations and buried pipelines and electric lines within the corridor (20m) of existing roads.
  • All woody debris must be maintained in the stand and at the location from which it originated.
  • The use of pesticides and small mammal control measures are not permitted.
  • Trail establishment activities are not permitted.

Maps

Request for Proposal for the Maple Sugary lease

  • NBON - Request for Proposal # : 5034006-24