Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ

For nearly a quarter century, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule — known simply as the Roadless Rule — has served as one of the nation’s fundamental conservation policies. Adopted in 2001 after years of public engagement, it protects nearly 58 million acres of national forest — about 30 percent of the National Forest System and 2 percent of the entire continental U.S. land area — from most road building and industrial logging. In August, the U.S. Forest Service announced a step towards repealing this rule, potentially exposing some of the nation’s most ecologically valuable public lands and intact wildlife habitat to fragmentation and development. 

Some of the United States’ most legendary forests fall under the purview of the Roadless Rule — most notably the Tongass National Forest in Alaska, the country’s largest national forest and one of the world’s largest remaining coastal temperate rainforests. It also encompasses places like the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina and Sequoia National Forest in California, which have remained intact for wildlife and for people to enjoy.  

Bald Eagles, Marbled Murrelets, Cerulean Warblers, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers and Sooty Grouse are just a few of the species that depend on unfragmented, mature forests. Habitats have dwindled under the pressures of development, fire and drought, making the intact forests protected under the Roadless Rule even more vital for birds, wildlife and millions of people in nearby communities who depend on public lands for recreation, open space and a connection to nature. 

The Forest Service first proposed the Roadless Rule in 1999 because of escalating costs of road building and maintenance, as well as continued controversy over how to manage the last remaining unprotected mature and old-growth forests. When the Roadless Rule was finalized in 2001, it reflected one of the most extensive public engagement processes in federal land management history. More than 1.6 million people submitted comments, the vast majority urging protection.  

hasn’t waned. Americans of all political stripes consistently say they want for future generations. Upholding the rule will preserve and strengthen this legacy. By keeping the rule in place, we ensure consistent nationwide safeguards that protect roadless areas from development and industrial-scale logging, maintaining critically important carbon stores and preserving clean water. 

Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ science shows that our shifting climate could push two-thirds of North American bird species towards extinction. For many species, roadless national forests are strongholds that will determine whether they adapt and survive. In the Tongass, Sooty Grouse rely on unbroken old growth forests. In Sequoia, groves of the giant namesake trees shelter Western Tanagers and other migratory songbirds. The ancient trees of the Pisgah are vital to Cerulean Warblers. New road construction would risk fragmenting habitat, degrading streams, and opening the door to further development. For birds that need large, ecologically intact landscapes, even limited disturbances can be devastating. 

Roadless areas also anchor local economies tied to public lands. Hunters, anglers, hikers, birders, and campers seek out these undeveloped landscapes precisely because they are quiet and home to treasured wildlife. Public demand feeds local businesses across the country, from outfitters and guides to restaurants and hotels. The outdoor industry as a whole generates an estimated $1.2 trillion annually and supports more than 5 million jobs, and the portion tied to backcountry and wildlife-based recreation is directly connected to keeping roadless areas intact. 

Ô¼ÅÚÊÓƵ supports science-based, sustainable forestry. The active management of forests to mitigate fire risk, ensure community safety, and maintain healthy habitat is important. As increasingly intense fires sweep across forests degraded by drought, insect infestations, and other factors aggravated by climate shifts, the Roadless Rule has come under criticism for its perceived impact on forest management and condition. However, research shows wildfire risk is greater — due to human activity— in areas with roads than in roadless forest tracts. Ecological forest management can, and has, been undertaken in roadless areas to manage fire risk and improve habitat under the rule’s current guidelines. 

America’s forests have stood for centuries — not as distant, inaccessible places but as landscapes that anchor our lives: sentinels of clean rivers, lakes and streams, thriving wildlife and the bond between people and place. If you’ve walked a roadless trail, heard a hidden songbird in the woods or simply believe in preserving cherished landscapes like the Tongass or Sequoia, your voice is part of that legacy.  

The U.S. Forest Service is on the proposed rescission through Sept. 19.