A hundred years ago, inspired by Aldo Leopold, we created the first wilderness area and legislated in The Wilderness Act 60 years ago the notion that nature isn’t just for us to exploit. But grazing and other uses were grandfathered into the new protected lands, and human enjoyment of nature, not the wellbeing of nature itself, was the core value. Our next step beyond the Wilderness Act in learning to live with nature, not over it, is long past due.
Steve Dunn is a local journalist based in Boston, Massachusetts. He writes for America's Test Kitchen and KATU-TV, covering a range of topics including food, recipes, and local news. His work has also been featured in WICS-TV, JD Supra, and The American Lawyer.