“Whichever way we turned, it seemed that the heavens and the earth had met together, since he enhanced the beauty of the landscape. A blue-robed man, whose fittest roof is the overarching sky which reflects his serenity. I do not see how he can never die; Nature cannot spare him.” (Thoreau 292)

This was the last visitor from “Former Inhabitants”, a philosopher who Thoreau admired and praised for his take on life and his role in nature. He seemed to make a great impression on Thoreau and could have even changed his outlook.

“The “forest” we think of today is home to redwoods and spotted owls, or government-designated “wilderness” preserves and national parks. The forest is a long way away, over the horizon, or way up north. Only it isn’t. It’s right outside your window.”

So, is the forest we see today equally as important as the one that existed in the 16th and 17th centuries? Have we lost something or have we gained something? The transformation from forests to farms then back to forests has not been understood by many Americans living today, so what would they say on that fact?