Paul Hetzler

Paul Hetzler is a Horticulture and Natural Resources Educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension, in Canton, NY. He is the author of "Shady Characters," and the website “Where the Wild Words Are."

40 posts

Pine Whisperers

...whispering pines and rustling leaves – may both soothe us, but they sound quite different.

Kill the Bug Zappers Not the Birds

Bug zappers are consummately worthless for mosquito control...

Simply Great

The great blue heron (Ardea herodias), the largest North American heron, is definitely great,

Shady Business

One of the perks of having trees nearby is that social-distancing rules don’t apply – you can hug as many as you like without risk of contracting Covid-19.

Ticked Off

Mosquitoes suck and black flies bite. However, just one bite from a deer (black-legged) tick can put you out of commission for the whole season...

Got Gas?

Some foods give you gas, but this is the time of year when gas gives you a really delicious food. Maple syru

Winter Swings

Sometimes it feels as though Old Man Winter has a temperature-oscillation App which he turns on before disappearing for a week or two..

Deer Grandma and Grandpa...

What is life like for those few lucky, possibly smarter, white-tailed deer which manage to avoid cars, coyotes, projectiles and parasites beyond the first few years of existence?

Treeconomics 101: Color-Coded Prosperity

Trees whose leaves show color ahead of their same-species peers are doing so because they are barely breaking even. The solar-powered sugar factories we call trees are good savers, ...

Flooded Trees...Most Things in Moderation

What really harms trees is a shortage of oxygen in flooded soils. Severity of flood damage also depends on a tree’s health before the event...

Aid for What Ails - Yes, Sumacs

The next time sumac’s bright red fall “flag” catches your eye, consider stopping to collect some berries to make a refreshing drink.

A Well-Rounded Perspective

Global warming might be a lot more fun if it came with a thermostat.

Snow Farming...

All about SNOW... Those who work in field and forest should take heart at the mounting snowbanks, not despair of them. [Photo by Chris Murray Photography]