The Forest Service is considering an important change in how millions of acres of our national forests are managed, and your voice can help support it.
The agency has proposed rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule, which restricts access and forest management across millions of acres regardless of the conditions on the ground. Twenty-five years later, many of these forests are facing severe wildfire, insects, disease and declining forest health.
Healthy forests require active management, and effective management requires access. Forest Service professionals should have greater flexibility to reduce hazardous fuels, improve forest conditions and respond to wildfire before more forests, watersheds and wildlife habitat are lost.
The Roadless Rule limits that flexibility by applying nationwide restrictions to forests with very different conditions and management needs. Rescinding the rule would return these decisions to forest planning and site-specific analysis, allowing local forest professionals to determine what work is needed based on science and their knowledge of the land.
We have already seen severe wildfire and forest mortality affect millions of acres of roadless forests across the West. Continuing to restrict management will not keep these forests green, healthy and standing.
Tell the Forest Service you support rescinding the 2001 Roadless Rule and giving its professionals greater flexibility to actively manage our national forests. Comments are due September 21.
Submit your comment today from our Action Center, or submit directly through Regulations.gov.
