Dear Editor, Act 181, the land-use law passed in 2024, is an admirable piece of legislation that aims to preserve and protect wild spaces in Vermont while still allowing for human development in urban areas that already have built environments. Ecologically sensitive areas, particularly at highe r elevations, have restrictions on development — focusing especially on road construction — that allow for biodiversity, wildlife habitat and natural beauty. Who can argue with that? It turns out that many people can. Act 181 has become controversial and has generated considerable anger among Vermonters impacted by conservation restrictions. There are many complex and perhaps justifiable reasons behind this anger. But I would ask people to consider a different perspective. Act 181 asks people to be good stewards of the land and accept limits to their land development and wealth creation for the sake of the environment. And perhaps that is what makes people angry. But from the perspective of the wild animals who share this Earth with us, humans have already taken too much and keep wanting more. And the result has been the decimation of habitats and of animal populations to the point of species extinction. We are so prolific and domineering as a species that we are threatening to crowd out every other living creature on Earth. READ MORE Why can’t we learn to share the land? If Vermont is to reach its noble goal of setting aside 50% of our land for conservation, as mandated by Act 59, the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act, we need Act 181. It’s the least we can do, after all the ecological damage we have already done and continue to do. Let’s be a little generous and set aside some land so that our wild cousins can find a home here, too. Let’s learn to coexist. We may find that we save ourselves in the process. John AberthRoxbury, Vt. Read the story on VTDigger here: In defense of Act 181. ...read more read less