Publicly owned maples aren’t for syrup, Ann Arbor says

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A Michigan city has a message for its residents: There’s nothing sweet about tapping publicly owned trees for maple sap.

As the weather gets warmer, Ann Arbor is warning people not to poke trees in parks or along streets.

"When we find this equipment, staff will remove it,” city spokesman Robert Kellar told MLive.com. “Tapping causes damage to these trees, which already face challenges, and leave them susceptible to insects and disease.”

It's OK for an Ann Arbor resident to tap a maple on their own property, the city said.

The college town takes great pride in its leafy environment. Ann Arbor says a 16-inch-diameter sugar maple at a home provides $149 in benefits each year, especially in energy savings.