Dear USFS,
I am writing to express my strong opposition to any proposals or policy shifts that would permit new road construction, timber harvesting, or industrial development within the roadless areas of the Tongass National Forest.
As America’s largest national forest, the Tongass plays an irreplaceable role in maintaining ecological balance, supporting resilient local economies, and mitigating climate change. Unfragmented old-growth rainforests are increasingly rare worldwide, and opening the Tongass to road building threatens the long-term health and integrity of this critical landscape for several key reasons:
Carbon Sequestration and Climate Resilience: The Tongass National Forest is one of North America’s most significant terrestrial carbon sinks. Its old-growth trees and intact soil systems store massive amounts of carbon. Constructing roads and opening these stands to industrial logging disrupts these ecosystems, releasing stored carbon and reducing our nation’s natural capacity to absorb greenhouse gases.
Impact on Salmon and Wildlife Habitat: The Tongass contains thousands of miles of pristine rivers and streams that feed world-class salmon fisheries. Road construction and associated runoff cause soil erosion, siltation, and habitat fragmentation that directly threaten salmon spawning grounds. Intact habitat is equally critical for species such as the Alexander Archipelago wolf, the Sitka black-tailed deer, and the bald eagle.
Sustainable Local Economies: A healthy, intact forest directly supports Southeast Alaska’s most stable economic drivers—commercial and recreational fishing, tourism, and outdoor recreation. These industries rely on clean water, healthy fish populations, and pristine wilderness. Sacrificing intact landscapes for short-term resource extraction risks long-term economic instability for local communities and Native Alaskan nations who have stewarded these lands for generations.
Fiscal Responsibility: Building and maintaining industrial roads in steep, remote, and rainy terrain is extraordinarily costly. The U.S. Forest Service already faces a substantial backlog of road maintenance nationwide. Allocating public taxpayer dollars toward constructing new roads in intact wilderness areas is fiscally imprudent, especially when existing infrastructure requires maintenance.
The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule has provided essential protections that balance the conservation of wild spaces with community access needs. Retaining roadless protections in the Tongass is essential to safeguard its ecological, economic, and cultural values for generations to come.
I strongly urge the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Forest Service to reject any measures that allow road construction or industrial old-growth logging in the roadless areas of the Tongass National Forest.
Thank you for considering these comments and for your commitment to public land stewardship.
Sincerely,
Eric Van Buren
Juneau, AK 99801
ericvanburen@msn.com