“Dear Secretary Rollins, I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to maintain the 2001 Roadless Area…”

Dear Secretary Rollins, I urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to maintain the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and reject its proposed rescission. Since 2001, The Roadless Rule has provided consistent land management for our national forests and nearly 50% of the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) contained within them. The A.T.'s southern terminus at Springer Mountain begins in an area protected by the Roadless Rule, and approximately 201 miles of the Trail (9% of its length) pass through "inventoried roadless areas." The Roadless Rule helps protect the scenic, natural, and remote qualities that make the A.T. a nationally treasured resource and one of the most visited public land units in the nation The Forest Service's own analysis recognizes that rescission could increase road construction and result in habitat fragmentation, impacts to water resources, increased noise, visible infrastructure, and reduced opportunities for quiet and remote recreation. Changes to these landscapes can affect the A.T. experience even when the Trail's thin corridor itself remains intact. Rescinding the Roadless Rule could also add to an already substantial Forest Service road-maintenance burden. The National Forest System already contains hundreds of thousands of miles of roads, many of which require significant resources to maintain. We should take care of the roads we have before creating additional long-term obligations through new road construction in currently roadless areas. For the A.T., additional roads can also fragment the landscape surrounding the Trail and introduce noise, development, and other impacts that diminish the experience of hiking and visiting the Trail. I hope to walk the trail in the near future I urge the USDA to retain the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and ensure that any changes to roadless-area management fully account for impacts to the Appalachian Trail, recreation, water resources, wildlife habitat, and the Forest Service's long-term ability to manage its transportation system.