I am writing to you as the Executive Director of the Northwest North Carolina Mountain Bike Alliance to submit a public comment on the Notice of Intent to rescind the 2001 Roadless Rule. We as an organization care deeply about our national forests because many of our members utilize the Grandfather District of Pisgah National Forest to recreate regularly. A great deal of what makes this area special is it's remote and secluded nature of the trails there. Furthermore roadless areas protect habitat for at-risk species, safeguard clean drinking water for many millions of Americans, and preserve old-growth forests hundreds of years old. The Forest Service itself stated in the text of the Roadless Rule that conserving roadless areas was critical because road construction and logging were the activities “most likely to harm” the characteristics and values the agency is tasked with protecting. That remains true today.
Contrary to USDA’s claim that this rescission will help the agency reduce fire risk, more roads are likely to mean more fires. The vast majority of wildfires are human-caused, and most ignite close to roadways. Research shows wildfires are more likely to start in roaded areas than in unroaded tracts.
Please reconsider rescinding the Roadless Rule. It is vital for the protection of the Wilson Creek area of Pisgah National Forest; an area with the designation as a National Wild and Scenic River, and one that many of our members hold dear and want to see protected from further further logging and development.
Thank you.