Progress

Most of New England is forested again. This is just the opposite of the 19th century, when most of New England was cleared for crops and pasture. We owe our present blessings to the rich farmlands of the Midwest and the bigger forests and mountains of the West, which drew adventurers, developers, farmers, and miners away to new promised lands. I call that progress, to have our cities and forests living together in harmony.

Remnants of the old way are everywhere: old foundations, pieces of bridge on river banks, rockwall fences, gentleman's farms, logging roads, root cellars, stately houses, humble cottages. It was a hard way of life, and we're grateful for our modern comforts and the agribusinesses in Iowa and the smelters in Idaho and the computer guys in Silicon Valley. We would go back to the 19th century only to be closer to family and nature, and we can still do that now if we try.

Or just live in Maine. 90% of it is wooded. 99.44% of it is pure.