I support keeping and fully enforcing the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, particularly because of what these protections mean for Western North Carolina and the Upstate of South Carolina the area I call home.
The Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests contain some of the most important remaining undeveloped mountain landscapes in our region. These roadless areas help protect headwater streams, watersheds, wildlife habitat, scenic mountain landscapes, and opportunities for hiking, fishing, hunting, and solitude. They are also an important part of the natural heritage and quality of life that make Western North Carolina and the Upstate special.
In the Upstate, roadless areas within the Sumter National Forest provide similar protections for portions of our mountain landscape and watersheds.
As our region faces continued and rapid population growth, development pressure, and recovery from increasingly severe storms, protecting remaining intact forest is increasingly important. Once roads fragment these areas, the ecological and recreational qualities that make them valuable can be difficult to restore.
I urge the Forest Service to retain the Roadless Area Conservation Rule and enforce its protections consistently. Our mountain forests, watersheds, wildlife, and future generations deserve to have these remaining undeveloped places protected