I am writing to oppose the U.S. Forest Service’s proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule (Docket FS-2025-0001, RIN 0596-AD66).
The National Forests are special places, and the Hiawatha National Forest is an important part of my family’s life. We are avid users of the forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. We hike, mountain bike, snowshoe, cross-country ski, and hunt on these lands throughout the year.
The two-track and single-track trails throughout the Hiawatha are heavily used by both local residents and visitors. These forests provide opportunities for recreation, wildlife habitat, and quiet outdoor experiences that are increasingly difficult to find elsewhere.
I am particularly concerned that allowing additional major roadways and expanded development into roadless areas would change the character of these forests. New roads can fragment habitat, disrupt wildlife movement, increase access and disturbance, and fundamentally change the experience for people who use these areas for recreation and hunting.
There is value in having places that remain relatively undeveloped and accessible without major roads. Once a road is constructed and a previously roadless area is substantially changed, that character cannot simply be restored.
I ask the Forest Service to retain the protections provided by the 2001 Roadless Rule and to keep Michigan’s Hiawatha, Ottawa, and Huron-Manistee National Forests—and roadless areas across the country, available for future generations to experience in their current, largely undeveloped.