A Vermont forester bought 175 acres of degraded woodland in 2017; after nine years of restoring habitats, the land now features a wildlife pond, rich vegetation and an orchard of more than 100 fruit trees

• Vermont forester Ethan Tapper bought 175 acres of degraded woodland in Bolton, Vermont, in 2017 and began restoring its ecosystem.
• The property, which he named Bear Island, had been affected by decades of logging, invasive plant growth and soil erosion.
• Over the following years, Tapper selectively cut trees, removed invasive vegetation, planted acorns and repaired damage left by earlier land use.