Climate change effects seen in sugar maple

[lovuian]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/?sid=65e7e88077b16133

In Ohio and New England, and through Canada, the maple sugaring season starts and ends earlier than a generation ago -- a sign of warming climate trends.

Rex Marsh, 71, can recall winters so cold no one in northern Vermont ever thought of tapping a sugar maple before town meeting day on the first Tuesday of March. Yet for the last two years, the Marshes have tapped their maples in January, the earliest they can recall in five generations of sugar making, The Los Angeles Times reported.

In response to rising global temperatures, spring comes as much as 13 days earlier in many parts of North America -- and 15 days earlier in Europe -- than it did 30 years ago, scientists say.

Spring and winter are becoming milder, the National Climatic Data Center reports. From 1950 to 1993, the coldest winter temperatures rose by 5 degrees, and the warmest spring temperatures rose 2.5 degrees.
more...
Its getting pretty obvious...

[Radio_Lady]

1. Oh, dear. Soon there'll be palm trees in Vermont -- along with

moonlight.

On a serious note, sad for Vermonters who are on the leading edge of this warming.

I don't doubt for a minute that climate change is upon us. A sadder but wiser girl am I.

[hobbit709]

2. But But But

The "Great Decider" has decided by royal decree that there is no global warming so therefore all this evidence must be fragments of your imagination.

[ecoalex]

3. My brother is planning on Banana trees on Cape Cod

[northofdenali]

5. And the sugar maples can come up here.

Sure beats birch syrup!

[Radio_Lady]

10. Yeah, we bought birch syrup at the outdoor flea market next to our

Anchorage hotel one Saturday. It tasted OK when we bought it. Thought it would be a good present and we gave it as gifts to everyone.

I learned later that no one liked it. I gave a couple of bottles to a local homeless shelter.

[patrice]

4. Yep. All he has to do is decide and it becomes so.

[DesEtoiles]

6. 35 years ago growing up in Ohio, we had 2' of snow on the ground all

winter, every winter. Now, that area gets a few winter blasts, but usually only has a dusting or no snow during winter.

[dysfunctional press]

7. same here in chicago- however...

i've also read that the time that both of us grew up in were unusually snowy decade for the region...for what it's worth. but the winters are definitely getting milder- i remember how it would be subzero cold for days and ays on end- the kind of cold where your car door sounds like it's going to break off when you open and close it...now we're (un)lucky if we get 2 or 3 days all winter.

[Kolesar]

8. Ohio's going to lose sugar maples eventually

Ohio is in the southern range of the species. Eventually we will only find them in Canada.

[phantom power]

9. This will suck for New York too. Good memories disappearing?

[kineneb]

11. and meanwhile...is NorCal getting wetter?

Seems like we may have to develop webbed feet or something. Average rainfall here is 25", so far the total is around 47". This would sure mess up agriculture.