Southern Appalachian Maple Research and Activities
The Southern Appalachian Maple Research and Activities (SAMaRA) Team was established at UVa-Wise in 2015 by Professor Ryan Huish and students at UVa-Wise. It is an interdisciplinary team of researchers and community members in Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia, whose aim is to conserve sugar maple, assess alternative maple species for sugaring in the region, and to increase awareness of maple traditions, ecology, conservation, and socio-economic potential through research and educational activities.
Team members have presented results from this research at regional and international meetings, including the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, the Society for Economic Botany, the Clinch Coalition, the High Knob Naturalist Rally, and the regional Maple School. Samara is the botanical name for the type of “helicopter” fruit/seed maples produce, symbolic of our outreach efforts. We invite others from many backgrounds to join our team to help fulfill these aims. Research and educational outreach is ongoing; please contact Professor Huish at rdh5b@uvawise.edu for more information or to collaborate in any way with this project.