Sticky Bucket Maple Becomes Pennsylvania Bird-Friendly Partner
A Sabinsville farm is the first in Pennsylvania to join the Audubon Society program for maple syrup production.
Updated on Oct. 31, 2026 in Bird Watching
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Sticky Bucket Maple has become the first Pennsylvania farm to earn status as an Audubon Bird-Friendly Maple partner. The program recognizes producers who maintain forest stewardship and habitat management plans to protect bird populations.
Why it matters
The Audubon Society initiative aims to preserve essential forest environments by requiring that partner sugarbushes are located within large, intact forest blocks. This sustainable approach helps ensure that maple production supports the biodiversity of local ecosystems.
Sticky Bucket Maple operates on a 290-acre farm in Sabinsville using 14,000 taps and tubes. The program requires participants to maintain a minimum of 100 acres of intact forest block, with recognition lasting for five years.
The players
Sticky Bucket Maple
This family-owned maple syrup business has operated on a 290-acre farm in Sabinsville since 1999.
Audubon Society
This non-profit environmental organization works to protect birds and the places they need, now and in the future.
Brian and Wanda Warwick
They are the founders and operators of the Pennsylvania-based maple syrup business.
The details
To qualify for the program, producers must develop or update forest management plans that include on-site habitat assessments conducted by Audubon staff or approved foresters. Sticky Bucket Maple owners Brian and Wanda Warwick have committed to the initiative, which includes future plans to install nesting houses for wood ducks.
Timeline
Brian and Wanda Warwick established Sticky Bucket Maple in 1999.
Brian Warwick was first approached about the partnership in early 2026.
The partnership status was confirmed as of October 31, 2026.
The Audubon Society targets August 2027 to expand the Pennsylvania program.
Culture Shift
The Audubon Society Bird-Friendly Maple program represents a broader movement toward sustainable forestry practices in the agricultural sector. This expansion into Pennsylvania signals a shift toward certifying small-scale producers who integrate environmental conservation into their daily operations.
Readers who consume maple syrup can support bird conservation by identifying products from certified producers who manage their forest land responsibly. Adopting these habits encourages more local farms to invest in the habitat infrastructure necessary for regional bird populations.
The takeaway
Supporting bird-friendly maple producers helps protect intact forest blocks that serve as critical nesting and feeding grounds for many species. Consumers can make a positive environmental impact by choosing products from farms that prioritize long-term forest stewardship.
What happens next
The Audubon Society has set a goal to enroll at least 15 Pennsylvania producers and cover 250 acres under the program by August 2027.
Further reading
Explore more about Bird Watching to learn how local habitats support migratory and resident species.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NorthcentralPA.
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