As an Arizona resident living in the Chiricahua Mountains in the Coronado National Forest, I strongly oppose the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s proposal to repeal the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
The U.S. Forest Service first enacted this conservation rule in 2001. Roadless areas serve as biological strongholds for imperiled species, and recognizes that habitat fragmentation harms wildlife and that intact forests act as buffers against the spread of invasive plant species.
The proposed rule contemplates an abundance of resources at the local level to assess the decision regarding road conditions if the Rule is repealed. Yet we know this is far from the truth - there will be no funding stream proposed or contemplated to support any serious consideration at the local level. The default position will be to allow road construction and commercial logging while compromising public safety and endangering wildlife and clean water.
Additionally, expanding roads into forested landscapes will increase wildfire risk. Research has shown that human-caused ignitions are responsible for the vast majority of wildfires, and are roughly four times more likely to start near roads, due to causes like sparks from vehicles and unattended campfires.
I urge the USDA to cease its efforts to repeal the Roadless Rule which will significantly harm the Coronado National Forest and other roadless forests. Please remember that Americans live in these forests and stop this repeal effort.