I live in seattle and am writing to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to retain the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and select the No Action Alternative. My connection to National Forest lands includes hiking and backpacking, camping, wildlife watching, living in or near a National Forest community, and operating or working for a business connected to public lands. We need to protect wild lands from human intrusion. Please reinstate roadless rule is and keep them in effect.
Whitefish Divide is one place that has shaped my views on this proposal. It is within the Thompson Seton #483 Inventoried Roadless Area in Flathead National Forest. Stunning beauty.
I am concerned about wildlife habitat and landscape connectivity. There is already human damage in these beautiful lands. Let's keep humans out of the ones that are still wild.
Before rescinding the national rule, I would like USDA to answer this question: How would USDA weigh the potential for roads to provide management access against the additional opportunities for human-caused wildfire ignitions that can accompany increased access?
For these reasons, I urge USDA to retain the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and select the No Action Alternative. Thank you for considering my comments.