in the season than maples. Currently, only a few small-scale operations in Alaska and Yukon produce birch syrup from this species. Bark Its bark is an excellent fire starter; it ignites at high temperatures even when wet. The bark has an energy density of and , the highest per unit weight of 24 species tested. Panels of bark can be fitted or sewn together to make cartons and boxes. (A birchbark box is called a wiigwaasi-makak in the Anishinaabe language.) The bark is also used to create a durable waterproof layer in the construction of sod-roofed houses. Many indigenous groups (i.e., Wabanaki peoples) use birchbark for making various items, such as canoes, containers, and wigwams. It is also used as a backing for porcupine quillwork and moosehair embroidery. Thin sheets can be employed as a medium for the art of birchbark biting. Plantings Paper birch is planted to reclaim old mines and other disturbed sites, often bare-root or small saplings are planted when this is the goal. Since paper birch is an adaptable pioneer species, it is a prime candidate for reforesting drastically disturbed areas. When used in landscape planting, it should not be planted near black walnut, as the chemical juglone, exuded from the roots of black walnut, is very toxic to paper birch. Paper birch is frequently planted as an ornamental because of its graceful form and attractive bark. The bark changes to the white color at about 3 years of growth. Paper birch grows best in USDA zones 2–6, due to its intolerance of high temperatures. Betula nigra, or river birch, is recommended for warm-climate areas warmer than zone 6, where paper birch is rarely successful. B. papyrifera is more resistant to the bronze birch borer than Betula pendula, which is similarly planted as a landscape tree. Pests Birch skeletonizer is a small larva that feeds on the leaves and causes browning. Birch leafminer is a common pest that feeds from the inside of the leaf and causes the leaf to turn brown. The first generation appears in May but there will be several generations per year. Severe infestations may stress the tree and make it more vulnerable to the bronze birch borer. When a tree is stressed, bronze birch borers may kill the tree. The insect bores into the sapwood, beginning at the top of the tree and causing death of the tree crown. The insect