PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP:

Your Maples. Our Operation. Your Check.

Turn your maple trees into an annual income stream—without lifting a finger.

Who We Are

You got a letter because your property has something valuable: bigleaf maples.

We're Bigleaf Maple Co.—the first WSDA-licensed commercial producer of bigleaf maple syrup in Washington State. For over a decade, we've been proving what the industry said couldn't be done: making real maple syrup from Pacific Northwest trees.

Universities have built research programs around our work. Chefs at restaurants like Canlis have served our syrup. Media from NPR to Seattle Magazine have told our story. And we're just getting started.

Now we're scaling—and that means partnering with landowners like you.

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What This Actually Looks Like

The Setup

We install a network of small tubes that connect your maple trees to collection points. The tubing runs tree-to-tree, low to the ground, through your forest.

Installation happens once. After that, we handle everything—monitoring, maintenance, and collection.

The Season

Sap runs in winter, typically January through March, when temperatures swing above and below freezing. During the season, we'll access your property to collect sap and maintain the system. In the off-season, if we need to repair or upgrade equipment, we'll give you at least 24 hours notice before coming out.

The Trees

Tapping doesn't hurt the tree. It's the same technique that's been used on sugar maples in Vermont for over 200 years. We drill a small hole (about the size of a pencil), insert a spout, and collect the sap the tree produces naturally. The hole heals over each year. Healthy trees can be tapped indefinitely.

THE PROCESS

Here's what happens after you reach out:

1. Site Visit We walk your property together. We're looking at tree density, access, terrain, and overall fit. You get to meet us, ask questions, and see if this feels right.

2. Proposal If your site works, we put together a simple agreement: how many trees, what we'll pay, and the terms. No surprises.

3. Installation We install the tap system well before the season starts. This is a significant investment on our end, which is why we're selective about the properties we take on. You don't lift a finger.

4. Pilot Season The first year is a pilot. We tap, collect, and process the sap. You receive your payment. We both see how the site performs.

5. Long-Term Partnership If the pilot goes well—for both of us—we move to a multi-year agreement. The infrastructure is already in place, so it's smooth sailing from there.

WHAT YOU RECEIVE

1. Annual Payment You receive a flat payment based on the number of taps on your property—regardless of how much sap we actually collect. Good season or bad, you get paid.

2. Zero Work We handle installation, maintenance, collection, and removal. Your only job is to cash the check.

3. Full Insurance We carry comprehensive liability coverage. You're protected, zero worries.

4. A Taste of the Finished Product Each season, you'll receive a case of syrup—made from your own trees. Share it, gift it, pour it on pancakes. It's yours.

WHY THIS MATTERS

Bigleaf maples are everywhere in the Pacific Northwest—and almost no one is using them. Foresters call them "weed trees." To most landowners, they're just part of the scenery. But those trees produce something valuable every single year, and right now, you're not capturing any of it.

This is a way to turn a non-revenue-producing asset into an annual income stream. Your maples will keep growing, keep producing sap, and keep paying you—year after year.

We're building something new here. West Coast maple syrup barely existed a decade ago. Now it's an emerging industry, and your trees could be part of it.

It's a straightforward deal: you have trees that produce something valuable, and we know how to turn it into a premium product. You get paid. We get sap. The trees keep growing.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. Tapping has been practiced on maple trees for centuries without harming them. We drill a small hole each season that heals naturally. Healthy trees can be tapped for generations.

  • Payment depends on the number of tappable trees and site conditions. We'll give you a specific number during the proposal stage—no guessing.

  • We need vehicle access to get equipment in and sap out. We'll discuss the specifics during the site visit and work around your preferences.

  • We start with a one-year pilot season. Installing a tap system is a significant investment, so if the pilot goes well, we move to a multi-year agreement. This protects both of us—you're not locked in if it doesn't work, and we're not investing long-term in a site that won't pan out.

  • We can structure agreements to transfer with the land or terminate at sale—your choice.

  • It depends on location and access. Generally, we're looking for properties with at least 100-500 tappable maples, but we're happy to take a look regardless.

  • There will be a network of tubing running through your forest—similar to what you'd see on maple farms in Vermont. We'll work with you to minimize our presence. Landowners often help us determine separate entry points, and many tell us they don't even know we're there.

Ready to Talk?

If you're curious—even just a little—let's meet. We'll walk your property, answer your questions, and see if it's a fit. No pressure, no obligation.

Schedule a Site Visit

OR, REACH OUT DIRECTLY

Please contact:

Devin Day

BigLeaf Forest Officer / Co-Founder

email: devin@bigleafmapleco.com

Phone: 360-393-1272