Sweet on Habitat: First Wisconsin Maple Producer Recognized Through Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Maple Program

MERRILL, Wis. (Might 4, 2026) — As forest hen populations decline, one Wisconsin maple producer is exhibiting how working forests may be a part of the answer. Nature’ly Sweet, operated by Christopher Petron in Merrill, is the primary producer within the state to be acknowledged via the Nationwide Audubon Society’s Fowl-Pleasant Maple program. The popularity highlights the operation’s dedication to managing its sugarbush—a forest of maple bushes used for syrup manufacturing—in ways in which help birds, biodiversity, and long-term forest well being. 

Within the Fowl-Pleasant Maple program, Audubon companions with maple syrup producers to enhance forest and habitat situations essential for forest hen species, lots of that are in decline throughout North America. In line with the 2025 State of the Birds report, populations of japanese forest birds have decreased by 27% since 1970, underscoring the significance of native conservation efforts to assist stabilize hen populations. 

Nature’ly Candy manages roughly 220 acres of sugarbush. Petron’s operation produces maple syrup bought on-line, at markets, and at regional commerce exhibits—now connecting every bottle to a conservation story. The enterprise plans to include Fowl-Pleasant Maple branding into its product labeling and advertising and marketing supplies, serving to customers determine and help merchandise that contribute to hen conservation. 

“Sugarbushes are greater than locations the place maple syrup is made—they’re necessary ecosystems that present nesting and foraging habitat for forest birds corresponding to Wooden Thrush and Scarlet Tanager,” mentioned Jacob Crawford, Audubon Forest Ecologist. “Producers like Christopher Petron are demonstrating how considerate forest administration can help each sustainable companies and thriving hen populations.” 

As a part of this system, Nature’ly Candy labored with forestry professionals to include Fowl-Pleasant Maple pointers immediately into its forest stewardship plan. This method creates a extra various and resilient forest by sustaining a mixture of tree ages and species, preserving standing lifeless bushes for wildlife habitat, and retaining downed woody materials on the forest ground—key components for biodiversity. 

These practices present essential habitat for quite a lot of hen species. Dense understory vegetation helps nesting birds just like the Veery, whereas standing lifeless bushes present important habitat for woodpeckers and different cavity-nesting species. 

The popularity marks an necessary step in increasing Audubon’s Fowl-Pleasant Maple program into the Midwest, made potential by a grant from the U.S. Division of Agriculture Forest Service. Curiosity continues to develop amongst Wisconsin producers, with further assessments and partnerships underway statewide. Via collaborations with the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Affiliation and the College of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension Maple Syrup Program, the initiative is constructing consciousness and offering technical help to assist producers undertake bird-friendly practices. 

By working with producers, foresters, and companions, the Fowl-Pleasant Maple program goals to scale conservation throughout working forests—making certain maple syrup manufacturing stays each economically viable and ecologically helpful. 

Nature’ly Candy joins a rising community of over 145 maple syrup producers dedicated to managing sugarbushes for birds. Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Maple Producer Map supplies customers fascinated by conservation with a digital listing of acknowledged producers.