Dr. Aaron Wightman

Biography

Aaron Wightman is a Senior Extension Associate and Statewide Maple Specialist at Cornell University's Department of Natural Resources and the Environment. He is also the Co-Director of the Cornell Maple Program. Wightman’s applied research and extension activities aim to support the growth of the maple products industry. His work encompasses a wide range of topics related to maple syrup production, sugarbush management, and new product development, with a focus on sustainability, efficiency, and profitability. Wightman manages a research sugarbush with 7,500 taps at the Arnot Teaching and Research Forest. His overarching research interest revolves around bolstering natural resource-based industries and promoting sustainable forest management practices to provide economic opportunities for rural communities, specifically pertaining to maple syrup production. His current research activities include evaluating potential multi-crop sugarbush agroforestry systems, developing protocols to control microbial activity in sap to maximize syrup quality, testing new materials for sap collection systems, and creating innovative maple products such as maple chocolate, kombucha, and sports drinks.

Research Interests

Experience