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To the U.S. Forest Service: These areas have been where I have found peace in a world that never feels still. The most beautiful peaceful grounding times in my life have taken place in these areas. I come from generations who have enjoyed, worked, vacationed, and more in these areas and believe wholeheartedly that rescinding the Rule will do irreparable damage. I'm not a climate scientist. I just read what the climate scientists publish. The 2001 Rule does measurable carbon work. Keep it. Regarding the Minister Valley in the Allegheny National Forest, Pennsylvania: Intact roadless landscapes support functional soils, hydrology, and food webs that fragmented forests cannot replicate. Rescinding the Roadless Rule would open the Minister Valley, Allegheny National Forest to road construction and associated ground disturbance. The direct and indirect effects of that activity are precisely what makes a specific comment about this area necessary. “Focal species, which define the habitat identity, proved to be very helpful in discriminating between habitat types and zones, as they actually exhibited higher abundances or frequencies within a habitat type, relative to other habitats. The detailed analysis of focal species abundance and turnover can be used as a short-term alert of plant community disruption, before the effects of disturbance become fully evident. Plant communities or vegetation types represent a key approach for biodiversity conservation above the species level and have been increasingly used as crucial units for inventory, planning and monitoring as they are good indicators of overall biodiversity. — AoB Plants / PMC, 2016 (https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plw040)” “Skid trails extended road edge effects on plant biodiversity up to 60 m into forest stands, serving as conduits for non-forest species and removing interior forest species. The addition of lime and clay substrates from road construction modified pH, nutrient content, soil moisture and bulk density, promoting roadside establishment of exotic and nitrophilous species. Limestone gravel damaged acidophilic species on roads and into stands, and the road effect was more damaging to forest species and less-competitive species on skid trails. — ScienceDirect / Biological Conservation, 2013 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.008)” “Long-term drying associated with drainage and road construction resulted in a two to fourfold increase in total biomass in three of four fen sites, but this came at the expense of ground-layer mosses and understory species. Drainage induced a shift toward a drier peatland regime, favoring increased canopy and vascular plant density while decreasing moss cover and productivity. Within ground-layer communities, drainage favored dry-adapted hummock moss and lichen species over wet-adapted but desiccation-prone species typical of low-lying lawns and hollows. — Springer Nature / Wetlands Ecology and Management, 2015 (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-015-9423-5)” “Road construction permanently occupied 73% of the total construction areas. Soil structure is fully destroyed and land productivity is lost in permanently occupied areas. The soil organic matter of pre-construction road was 3.57 times higher than post-construction, and soil bulk density in post-construction was greater than pre-construction by 10.3%. Topsoil formation proceeds very slowly — 1 cm of topsoil is formed under natural conditions every 300–400 years, yet it can be eroded in only one year on construction sites. — International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health / PMC, 2022 (https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316046)” Draft EIS Discloses No Irreversible or Irretrievable Commitment of Resources for Any Alternative Please please continue to uphold the Rule, continue to protect these lands, continue to allow future generations to experience a version of the world that is preserved naturally. Thank you.

Dear Mr. Schultz, As an outdoor enthusiast, I respectfully submit that the proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule has not been accompanied by a NEPA analysis commensurate with the scope of the action — specifically, that the environmental consequences of opening 58 million acres to road-building authorization have not been adequately evaluated in the record. As someone who has grown up camping and hiking in Coldwater, it is especially important to me that it remain roadless. Regarding the Coldwater in the Cleveland National Forest, California: Roads, disturbance, and altered ecosystems create invasion pathways that let non-native plants, pathogens, and animals displace native biota. Roads carry invasion effects into forest interiors. Skid trails and forest roads extend road edge effects on plant biodiversity up to 60 meters into adjacent forest stands, serving as conduits for non-forest species and removing interior forest species. The effect is amplified by the lime, clay, and gravel used in road construction (Avon et al. 2013; Dai et al. 2025). — Avon et al., 2013 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.008); Dai et al., 2025 (https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70002); Zhao, 2025 (https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70002) Rescinding the Roadless Rule would open the Coldwater, Cleveland National Forest to road construction and associated ground disturbance. The direct and indirect effects of that activity are precisely what makes a specific comment about this area necessary. Roadless areas are home to some of the most precious, and fragile ecosystems that would certainly be disturbed or destroyed by the presence of roads. Keep roadless areas roadless. Hopefully, CommentID: RLC-20261006-JXKXPI

Dear Secretary Rollins and Chief Schultz: As someone who gets out there regularly and knows what roadless areas offer that other public land designations don't, I want the Department to understand that this isn't a minor policy adjustment — it's a substantive change to what's available. Roadless areas in Talladega National Forest have enhanced my appreciation for the outdoors by giving me and my family opportunities to experience nature away from roads, traffic, and everyday distractions. Being surrounded by quiet forests, wildlife, and challenging trails allows us to feel a stronger connection to nature and encourages my children to explore, stay active, and appreciate these unique and diverse wild spaces. One occasion in particular illustrates what that relationship means in practice. Walking along the trails, we sometimes encounter unusual marker trees—trees whose distinctive shapes or growth patterns were intentionally created by Indigenous peoples to mark trails, waterways, campsites, or other important locations. Seeing these trees in the forest makes the landscape feel like more than wilderness; it becomes a living record of the people who traveled through and cared for these lands long before modern trails existed. Their presence adds a sense of mystery and connection. The standing connection and the specific experience above together illustrate what the Rule has made possible over twenty-five years of operation. Regarding the Cheaha B in the Talladega National Forest, Alabama: Bat Hibernacula and Foraging Habitat Connectivity — Three federally endangered bat species—gray bat (*Myotis grisescens*), Indiana bat (*Myotis sodalis*), and northern long-eared bat (*Myotis septentrionalis*)—depend on the unfragmented forest canopy and cave systems within and adjacent to t… Logging skid trails extend road edge effects deep into the forest. Skid trails extend road edge effects on plant communities up to 60 meters into adjacent forest stands, acting as conduits for non-forest and invasive species and removing interior forest species. Road construction materials such as limestone gravel further alter soil pH and damage acid-loving native species (Avon et al. 2013). — Catherine Avon, Yann Dumas, Laurent Bergès, 2013 · Biological Conservation (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.008) Rescinding the Roadless Rule would open the Cheaha B, Talladega National Forest to road construction and associated ground disturbance. The direct and indirect effects of that activity are precisely what makes a specific comment about this area necessary. Talladega's roadless areas are not empty acres. They are living ecosystems, watersheds, wildlife habitat, cultural landscapes, and places that inspire people to care about the world around us. Protecting them is an investment in the forest and in generations yet to come. The Department should let the Rule stand. Warm regards, CommentID: RLC-20260826-ZRQHH9

Dear Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, For an outdoor enthusiast who understands the difference between what is accessible now and what may be foreclosed by near-term administrative action, the proposed rescission of the 2001 Rule is not an abstraction — it is a regulatory change whose consequences I expect to observe directly within the landscape I use. I grew up exploring these areas and recognizing how precious they are. Western North Carolina is home to some of the oldest forests left and to strip them is reckless and as misguided as it could come. The Department is respectfully asked to deny the proposal to rescind the Rule and to preserve the protections that have kept these landscapes available to the public. Regarding the Catfish Lake North in the Croatan National Forest, North Carolina: Pocosin Wetland Integrity and Rare Plant Habitat — The Catfish Lake North area protects one of the Southeast's most specialized wetland ecosystems—pocosins and low pocosins—which depend on the area's current hydrological isolation to maintain their naturally acidic conditions (pH < 4.0). Th… Logging skid trails extend road edge effects deep into the forest. Skid trails extend road edge effects on plant communities up to 60 meters into adjacent forest stands, acting as conduits for non-forest and invasive species and removing interior forest species. Road construction materials such as limestone gravel further alter soil pH and damage acid-loving native species (Avon et al. 2013). — Catherine Avon, Yann Dumas, Laurent Berg&egrave;s, 2013 · Biological Conservation (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.008) Rescinding the Roadless Rule would open the Catfish Lake North, Croatan National Forest to road construction and associated ground disturbance. The direct and indirect effects of that activity are precisely what makes a specific comment about this area necessary. It is more important that ever that we preserve what little we have left. The administrative record supports retention of the Rule, and I ask that the Department act accordingly. With hope, CommentID: RLC-20260827-K1XH6A

Dear Chief Schultz, My climate concern comes from long looking, not quick headlines. Plainly: there's no version of carbon math in which this rescission helps. How does this make life better for anyone who lives in the area? This is the closest roadless area to my home. To see it invaded and ruined for generations to come takes away from my and others ability to enjoy something even close to the true natural splendor of our state. The considerations above inform the position set out in the remainder of this comment. Regarding the Catfish Lake South - B in the Croatan National Forest, North Carolina: Timber harvest, associated road construction, and vegetation removal directly alter roadless character and degrade habitat quality. Logging skid trails extend road edge effects deep into the forest. Skid trails extend road edge effects on plant communities up to 60 meters into adjacent forest stands, acting as conduits for non-forest and invasive species and removing interior forest species. Road construction materials such as limestone gravel further alter soil pH and damage acid-loving native species (Avon et al. 2013). — Catherine Avon, Yann Dumas, Laurent Berg&egrave;s, 2013 · Biological Conservation (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.008) Rescinding the Roadless Rule would open the Catfish Lake South - B, Croatan National Forest to road construction and associated ground disturbance. The direct and indirect effects of that activity are precisely what makes a specific comment about this area necessary. Logging these forests would only serve to boost a short term profit for a very few people. What it does TO the residents of not only our state but also tourists and the land it's self will be long lasting. After Helen devastated parts of the state why let a bunch of logging crews ruin access to another beautiful area of nature. Rescission of the 2001 Rule is opposed; its retention is supported. With determination, CommentID: RLC-20260827-XFOCFY

Dear Mr. Schultz: In my years on public land, I've come to see the 2001 Rule as the kind of policy that does quiet, consistent work — and that becomes obvious only when you consider what the land would look like without it. Regarding the Reister Canyon in the Mendocino National Forest, California: Timber harvest, associated road construction, and vegetation removal directly alter roadless character and degrade habitat quality. Rescinding the Roadless Rule would open the Reister Canyon, Mendocino National Forest to road construction and associated ground disturbance. The direct and indirect effects of that activity are precisely what makes a specific comment about this area necessary. This is not right Logging skid trails extend road edge effects deep into the forest. Skid trails extend road edge effects on plant communities up to 60 meters into adjacent forest stands, acting as conduits for non-forest and invasive species and removing interior forest species. Road construction materials such as limestone gravel further alter soil pH and damage acid-loving native species (Avon et al. 2013). — Catherine Avon, Yann Dumas, Laurent Berg&egrave;s, 2013 · Biological Conservation (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.008) The interests of roadless area conservation, sound administrative practice, and the integrity of the rulemaking record are best served by the Department's decision to keep the 2001 Rule in place. With respect, CommentID: RLC-20260821-Q7LJRQ

The first time my husband and I hiked the Graveyard Ridge area of Pisgah Forest, a 1,958-acre roadless area in North Carolina (NC), I understood what inspired the American ballet “Appalachian Spring”. I had never seen so many different species of plants, including ephemerals that bloom for only a week or two. We also hike Sam’s Knob, a 2,576-acre roadless area next to Graveyard Ridge, and hike roadless areas in Nantahala National Forest, including Cheowah Bald and Wesser Bald (through which the Appalachian Trail runs), and recently bought land within hiking distance of Tusquitee Bald, a 13,670-acre roadless area. We are so grateful that we can enjoy these places as they are now, and we hope that generations to come can experience them too. These roadless areas are accessible and used by many people- Republican and Democrat, rural and urban. Adding roads will not bring more people to them, instead they will make it easier to engage in logging and other activities (USDA Forest Service 2001, https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/01/12/01-726/special-areas-roadless-area-conservation) that will degrade what brings people to these areas and helps support local economies. Roads are a vector for invasive species, and construction will damage the biodiversity that makes western NC so unique (Avon et al. 2013, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.10.008; Clavel et al. 2025, https://doi.org/10.1111/oik.11075; Dai et al. 2025, https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.70002). Roads are also where most human-caused fires start (Aplet et al. 2026, https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-026-00450-2)—rescinding the roadless rule will do more to cause fires than prevent them. Please do not rescind the roadless rule-- these areas belong to all Americans, and all Americans deserve the chance to experience these beautiful places as they are.