Dear Secretary Rollins,
Please defend the Roadless Rule. My father lives on the outskirts of Hyatt Lake, near Ashland OR. Growing up on his property allowed me to explore the adjacent public lands and understand first hand how precious they are. Once lands like this are subjected to road building, they are simply not the same.
I am strongly in favor of protecting migratory corridors for our wildlife. I believe it's a sacred duty we all share as humans, but I know not everyone may agree on that point. What I DO believe we can agree on is that out-of-control, accidental wildfires on public lands near residential areas can be absolutely devastating. It's been proven that these kinds of fires are most likely to start in the vicinity of roads -- where a single spark from a vehicle or a dropped cigarette can begin a fatal chain reaction. Research shows that building more roads through our public lands INCREASES the chance for massive devastation to peoples' homes (see references below).
My husband and I recently foraged for mushrooms on our public lands, guided by the teachings of our friend, the renowned mushroom expert Larry Evans. We saw chanterelles bursting up from the duff and climbed over ancient fallen trees with a chorus of songbirds overhead. This was a beautiful, spiritual experience -- one that I want to share with my nephew (he's due to arrive in February 2027). I want him to be able to explore our last wild places that way I have, to count on the clean drinking water that these roadless areas help provide, and to be able to look up, up, up into the soaring, mysterious canopy of an old growth forest. Places like this are where I most clearly see the divine spirit that exists in all of us -- plants, people, animals. In fact, I interpret the language in our the Declaration of Independence, which promises us all the unalienable rights to "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness", as language that also protects these lands. Because for me, pursuing life, liberty and happiness necessarily involves being in relationship with our wildlife and wild places. Gentle relationship. Kind and caring relationship.
We must think about the generations to come and what kind of world we're handing down to them. I write this with hope in my heart and good intention.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Nell Geisslinger
References:
Aplet, G.H., Hartger, P. & Dietz, M.S. Three-decade record of contiguous-U.S. national forest wildfires indicates increased density of ignitions near roads. fire ecol 22, 8 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-026-00450-2
Mildrexler, D.J., Berner, L.T., Law, B.E. & Both, M.S. Roadless rule rescission threatens highest integrity forest ecosystems in the United States. Biological Conservation 321, 111950 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111950
Sincerely,
Nell Geisslinger
Missoula, MT 59801-3935
nellgeisslinger@gmail.com