In the late 1800s, Vermont was a very different place. Its hills were largely cleared, its soils exhausted, and its economy struggling under the weight of overused land. In When the Trees Came Back: The Great Battle to Save Vermont’s Forests, retired judge and historian Bob Mello tells the story of how Vermonters confronted that crisis and how the state’s forests slowly returned.

In this episode, we explore what that history can teach us today. From the tension between economic survival and environmental protection to the long-running debate over how land should be used, many of the challenges Vermonters faced 150 years ago feel strikingly familiar.

As current conversations around development, conservation, and rural land use continue to unfold, Mello reflects on the hard lessons learned from Vermont’s past, and what they might mean for the choices we’re making now.