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I am writing as both a student and former contract United States Forest Service land surveyor to formally express my strong opposition to the United States Department of Agriculture’s proposed rule to rescind the “Roadless Rule” (2001 Roadless Conservation Rule). Rescinding this rule and removing protections for 58.5 million acres of Inventoried Roadless Areas across 39 states could endanger water supplies, destroy habitats for endangered species, and scar the old-growth forests I have come to know in my time as a land surveyor.
These areas and the 2001 Roadless Rule are important for all Americans. According to Olden et al. (2026), watersheds protected by the Roadless Rule supply critical drinking water to tens of millions of Americans and protect vital river ecosystems nationwide. Timber harvest and the construction of roads will create erosion, produce runoff pollution, and sedimentation, which threaten will water supply quality.
Opening up these tracts of land can create irreparable damage to federally protected species like grizzly bears, Canada Lynx, and various native fish (Spivak, 2026). Additionally, these roadless areas protect over 300 species listed under the Endangered Species Act. Some of these animals are found nowhere else in the world, and we should be good stewards of our forests to ensure the survival of these species, as well as protecting our own from the harms of wildfires.
Human-started wildfires account for 84% of all wildfires and 44% of the total burned area across the United States, expanding fire activity directly along road networks (Balch et al., 2017). I saw this firsthand as part of a crew tasked with scanning the remnants of the Moonlight Fire in Plumas National Forest. While that case never went to trial, Sierra Pacific Industries did settle out of court for a value of at least $125 million (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California, 2017). Opening these vast stretches of forest for timber can spark more wildfires.
Having personally worked in United States National Forests, including Eldorado, Plumas, Lassen, Cleveland I know how important these forests are for wildlife and the devastation they can suffer when they are host to wildfires. Most of the work I have been contracted for was post-wildfire, where I could see the damage these forces can do; this is part of what troubles me about the potential for rescinding the Roadless Rule. I’ve experienced the beauty of the United States' forests and have been witness to the scarred landscapes wildfires have wrought, I hope the USDA will reconsider its efforts to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule.