Who We Are

The Agroforestry Education Centre was originally opened in 1991. Devastated by the ice storm in 1997, the Agroforestry Centre was revamped in 2007 as a combined education and applied research facility with brand new state of the art maple syrup production equipment that includes the installation of a RO (reverse osmosis) machine. 

Mission Statement

The Agroforestry Education Centre is dedicated to the delivery of education and applied research programs focused primarily on sustainable agroforestry.  Working in partnership with resource management professionals in the field, the Centre offers educational opportunities for woodland owners, youth, the general public, industry, and government agencies.  Demonstration of new technologies and applied research will be an important component of the Centre’s activities.  Through education and research, the Centre will promote opportunities for diversification and value-added income, as well as increase the general public’s awareness of agroforestry and forest eco-systems. The centre maintains a maple syrup production facility to demonstrate beneficial management practices, including the production of safe and high quality maple products and related activities.

Core Values

The Agroforestry Education Center aims to promote knowledge, community and rural-economic development, through quality education and research into environmentally sustainable Agroforestry and related activities.

Come Visit Us!

• Sugar shack open to the public during Sugaring Season for maple syrup purchase and tours
• Trails are cleared and maintained – open to the public year round
• Ryan’s Well Replica – visit a replica of Ryan’s first well

Agroforestry Research

Reverse Osmosis:

Environmental, Economic and Time Savings Using Reverse Osmosis Technology in Maple Syrup Production

Researchers: Simon Lachance, Tim Chajkowski and Dr. Tim Rennie

It typically takes 40 litres of maple sap to produce 1 litre of maple syrup; a process requiring significant energy from burning wood, fuel oil, or natural gas. The burning of fossil fuels, however, is a major contributor to environmental and economic concerns. Kemptville Campus operates a demonstrative maple production facility compromised of 1200 taps in 800 maple trees using an oil-fired evaporator. Researchers at Kemptville Campus have been looking for ways to minimize both the environmental and economic costs of maple production.

Before maple sap is evaporated, Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology removes a large portion of water from the sap, thus reducing boiling time in the evaporator and the energy requirements for the evaporation process. On average, the RO unit at Kemptville reduce the amount of liquid running into the evaporator by 73%, leading to the following savings during the 2007 sugaring season at Kemptville Campus:

*Since 2007, oil costs have increased dramatically. Therefore savings would be significantly larger now and will likely increase in the future, as oil costs continue to rise.

While the preliminary research is in maple syrup production, environmental and energy savings as a result of RO technology are applicable to other processing industries.

Next Steps

Looking ahead, researchers will be investigating the use of bio-oil as an alternative energy source in oil-fired evaporators. Successful implementation will result in maple syrup production with overall lower green house gas (GHG) emissions and reduced reliance on petroleum-based fuels. The bio-oil will be produced through fast pyrolysis of wood residues (waste products).

Our Partners

• Eastern Ontario Model Forest
• Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Foods (OMAFRA)
• Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation
• Grenville Land Stewardship Council
• Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association (OMPSA)
• Ontario Woodlot Association
• Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation
• Ferguson Forest Centre
• Kemptville College Foundation
• Kemptville Campus

Our Supporters

• Environment Canada
  
  

Visit the Agroforestry Education Centre


Need to Know Where the Agroforestry Education Centre is Located...

Directions to the Agroforestry Education Centre

Located on Bedell Road, just 1km south of the Campus!

For directions through Google Maps, click here.


From 401 Toronto or Montreal:

Exit at Highway 416 North - Exit #721a
Travel on Highway 416 North for 35 km to Kemptville
Take first exit to Kemptville - Exit #28 to Leeds & Grenville Rd.44
Turn left and drive 4 km towards the Campus After a large hill, turn left onto Bedell Rd. Continue for 1km and the Agroforestry Education Centre is on your right.


From 416 Ottawa:

Take Highway 416 South 45 km to Kemptville
Take Exit #34 - Highway 43 to Kemptville
At stop sign turn right/west and drive approximately 1 km to roundabout
Take 3rd exit heading south on roundabout onto Cty Rd 19
Drive to the end and turn right on Van Buren Drive to the end and turn left onto Prescott St.
Drive 1.5kms (you will pass Kemptville Campus) and turn right onto Bedell Rd. Continue for 1km and the Agroforestry Education Centre is on your right.