The United States Department of Agriculture today announced that the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to fully rescind the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule — a bedrock conservation policy that has protected nearly 45 million acres of undeveloped backcountry forests for over two decades. Rescinding the Roadless Rule would open our national forests to road construction and logging projects, fragmenting landscapes that are critical to sustaining wildlife populations.
Defenders of Wildlife's director of national forests and public lands program Vera Smith underscored the stakes for pristine forests and imperiled wildlife:
“The Roadless Rule was hands-down one of the Forest Service’s best ideas — rescinding it is without question one of its worst. These natural landscapes are essential to wildlife, providing crucial habitat for hundreds of at-risk species. They also contain much of the best coldwater fish habitat left in the nation. The rule is a key reason why our national forests continue to serve as vital habitats for our wildlife. Losing it would be a major loss for all the species that call these areas home.”
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For nearly 80 years, Defenders of Wildlife has worked to protect and restore America’s wildlife at risk of extinction, advancing a vision of a future in which wildlife thrives, sustained by broad public support and a resilient network of healthy lands and waters. With a network of more than 2 million supporters, Defenders is an advocate for innovative solutions to safeguard wildlife for generations to come. To learn more, please visit https://defenders.org/newsroom or follow us on Instagram @defendersofwildlife.
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