Is it legal to tap trees on public land in the UK? I'm thinking of tapping sycamore trees in a local wood on an overnight trip in the spring.
Also, am I correct in the assumption that the last week of March would be a good time for the trip?
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What do you mean by "public land"? Almost all land in the UK is owned by someone. – Oct 07 '16 at 12:00
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1@Liam the wood is owned by the Woodland Trust but is open to the public – Chris J Oct 07 '16 at 12:03
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@Liam and now I know foraging is allowed on their woods! https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/foraging/foraging-guidelines/ thanks for the question, now to see if it someone knows when I should be looking – Chris J Oct 07 '16 at 12:05
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I was going to write an answer, but then it occurred to me, I don't know what's involved in this?? – Oct 07 '16 at 12:15
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I thought it might be more invasive than that. hmmm, it's a tough one. Possibly worth asking the woodland trust directly? – Oct 07 '16 at 12:34
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1@Liam I've tried contacting them before and haven't had a response :( – Chris J Oct 07 '16 at 12:39
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Is tapping a tree even practical in the UK? I thought you needed an extended period of subzero temperature, which is rare in the UK. – DJClayworth Oct 09 '16 at 21:22
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@DJClayworth it has been done for centuries in the UK, but the practice died out as with many wilderness skills – Chris J Oct 10 '16 at 08:31
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See Is it practical to tap a tree for syrup on an overnight stop? the answer is no... – James Jenkins Oct 11 '16 at 13:10
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Reading online, I have found that there is no hard and set rule for knowing when to tap, but in the second half of March you should check trees on a regular basis (every day or so) by doing the following.
Simply take a sharp point (I used the tip of the drill) and at about a meter from the ground drive it in past the bark layer, typically 6mm is fine. Give it a little wiggle up & down to loosen the fibres. Now the moment of truth, if the sap is running it will form a droplet within 30 seconds or so. If this doesn’t happen simply revisit the tree every few days at this time of year.
Source: Sycamore tapping
Ken Graham
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Very cold nights and rather warm days are best for tapping the sap from trees. Once the tree starts to bud the sap will change taste. – Ken Graham Oct 10 '16 at 14:56