---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only necessary that man should…"
description: "\"It is only necessary that man should start a fence that Nature should carry it on and complete it. The farmer cannot plow quite up to the rails or wall..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/henry-david-thoreau-20_farmers_it-is-only-necessary-that-man-should-sta_1894577.jpg"
---

#  It is only necessary that man should start a fence that…

![“It is only necessary that man should start a fence that Nature should carry it on and complete it. The farmer cannot plow quite up to the rails or wall which he himself has placed, and hence it often becomes a hedgerow and sometimes a coppice.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/henry-david-thoreau-20_farmers_it-is-only-necessary-that-man-should-sta_1894577.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/henry-david-thoreau-20_farmers_it-is-only-necessary-that-man-should-sta_1894577.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/henry-david-thoreau-20_farmers_it-is-only-necessary-that-man-should-sta_1894577.jpg)

> “It is only necessary that man should start a fence that Nature should carry it on and complete it. The farmer cannot plow quite up to the rails or wall which he himself has placed, and hence it often becomes a hedgerow and sometimes a coppice.”

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human attempts to control nature are limited; nature ultimately reshapes or completes our efforts.

**In simple terms:** We can start projects, but nature often finishes them.

Key Takeaway

Accept that nature will alter our plans.

Themes

nature control humility

Mood

reflective pensive

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- gardening
- construction
- urban planning
- agriculture

Key Concepts

environmentalism philosophy

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we design with nature rather than against it?
- What projects should we let nature finish?

A Different Perspective

Nature may render human designs ineffective.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Farmers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farmers/) [Hedgerows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hedgerows/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall/)

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