Paul J Hetzler's Blog – January 2018 Archive (6)
Forest-tent Caterpillars
Winter is not a season when people think about tents, except maybe to be glad they do not live in one. I do have friends who love winter camping, and the fact they have never extended an invitation is evidence of how much they value our friendship.
Oddly enough, winter is a crucial time to look for signs of forest-tent caterpillars (FTC). In spite of their name, FTC do not weave a silken tent-like nest as do the eastern-tent caterpillar and other… Continue
Added by Paul J Hetzler on January 26, 2018 at 2:19am — 4 Comments
Preventing Tree Breakage
Cradles and Cables
We are a clever lot when it comes to helping our kids settle into bed at night. Apparently, the story of how Jack broke his head fetching a pail of water, with Jill falling down the well after him, or the charming bubonic plague ditty “Ring Around the Rosie,” is supposed to calm small children. The veiled threat about abandoning an infant in a tree on a windy night always made my kids hush up. “Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop; when the wind blows, the cradle will…
ContinueAdded by Paul J Hetzler on January 14, 2018 at 8:18pm — No Comments
Timber Theft
Timber Theft
Only the crunch of gravel mars the predawn quiet as a truck, headlights off, rolls to a stop. Working quickly, professional bandits round up your unsuspecting timber. As your herd of prized trees is prodded toward the tailgate ramp, their soft mewling is barely audible amidst all the rustling…
While it does at times parallel cattle rustling, with skilled thieves whisking away a few exceptionally valuable trees in an early-morning or weekend raid, timber theft…
ContinueAdded by Paul J Hetzler on January 8, 2018 at 1:38pm — No Comments
Preventing Salt Injury to Trees and Shrubs
When road-salt spray hits twigs, buds and, in the case of evergreens, foliage, such direct contact causes yellowing of needles, and subsequent death of evergreen twigs… Continue
Added by Paul J Hetzler on January 5, 2018 at 2:35pm — No Comments
When Trees Go Over the Hill
The onset of this process varies—you probably know of families whose members frequently retain good health into their 90s and beyond, and other families where that is not the case. Of… Continue
Added by Paul J Hetzler on January 3, 2018 at 7:59pm — No Comments
Don't Let Firewood Bug You
All of us are using more heating fuel this season than in recent winters, and there is still plenty of cold weather to come. It’s bad enough that our wallets are thinner, but those who heat with wood have the additional burden of more time spent lugging in fuel. And to add insult to injury, uninvited guests occasionally show up with the wood.
Firewood, I’ve been told, comes from “trees” which seem to be covered in “bark,” under which insects can hide. As the wood we bring inside warms…
ContinueAdded by Paul J Hetzler on January 2, 2018 at 3:50pm — No Comments
Latest Blog Posts
Most Popular Blog Posts
Forum
How to find a Forester
Started by Hannah in Forest Health Jun 25. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Hello! We have purchased a large property in Tioga County, and as part of our contract, we have agreed to put together a forest management plan, which will require working with a local forester!I am hoping to get some advice as to how to find and…Continue
Tags: Forester
Prscribed burns
Started by Gail Sanford in Woodlot Management May 25. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Have prescribed burns for forest health been done in the Finger Lakes area or on Arnot Forest? Thank you.Continue
Sapling Puller
Started by Daniel Farrell in Woodlot Management. Last reply by Peter Smallidge Apr 20. 1 Reply 0 Likes
I'm seeking a broader perspective on devices for manual pulling of undesired shrubs and saplings. The intent is to mechanically remove, including roots to the degree possible, sapling sized invasives and non-invasives in woodland trails and…Continue
Sapling & Shrub Puller Field Guide
Started by Daniel Farrell in Woodlot Management Apr 19. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Click on linkSapling%20and%20Shrub%20Puller%20Guide%20Final%204.19.2026.pdfContinue
Small-Scale Logging
Started by Peter Smallidge in Project Profiles. Last reply by John McNerney Apr 1. 7 Replies 1 Like
Small-Scale Logging: Sugarbush and Woodlot Management Issue: Many woodlot owners and maple syrup producers want to be more active in gathering logs or firewood from their property. Often there are too few acres or too few trees to attract a…Continue
Tags: yourself, harvesting, woodlot, management, it
Practical Woodlot Improvement: Mulching, Drainage Work, and Long-Term Maintenance
Started by Jeremy Edmister in Woodlot Management Jan 27. 0 Replies 0 Likes
Many rural landowners I talk with want to improve woods access, reclaim overgrown edges, or start grazing in a section without making a mess of the land. I’ve found that choosing the right tool depends on your goal, and having a long-term plan is…Continue
grafting beech
Started by Allen Nichols in Woodlot Management. Last reply by Jim Martin Jul 4, 2025. 3 Replies 0 Likes
I am a director for the NY chapter of The American Chestnut Foundation. We expect to have a blight resistant tree to introduce to the public in 5 to 10 years.In the interm, before we have blight resistant nuts from these trees, I would like to graft…Continue
Pruning larch and spruce
Started by Jim Martin in Woodlot Management Jul 4, 2025. 0 Replies 0 Likes
I have 20 acres of 25 year old larch and spruce. I would like to prune about 10 percent of them to improve the quality of the timber 50 years down the road. I have heard that pruning green branches can lead to infection unless done at the right…Continue
Members
Badge
© 2026 Created by Peter Smallidge.
Powered by
