“lower wildfire risks compared to heavily roaded tracts”
The comment
Dear Secretary Rollins and U.S. Forest Service Officials,
I frequently travel in my campervan and enjoy my stays in National Forests throughout the Western states.
I strongly urge you to preserve the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule by selecting Alternative 1 (No Action) and dropping any proposals to rescind or weaken these vital protections.
For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has successfully safeguarded roughly 45 million acres of our nation’s wildest national forests from destructive road building and industrial logging. These untouched landscapes provide critical benefits that far outweigh any short-term extractive uses:
Clean Drinking Water: Roadless watersheds supply safe, clean drinking water to tens of millions of Americans.
Wildfire Resilience: Undisturbed forests naturally experience fewer human-caused ignitions and lower wildfire risks compared to heavily roaded tracts.
Wildlife Habitat: These areas offer an irreplaceable refuge for native fish, migratory birds, and large mammals, preventing harmful habitat fragmentation.
Recreation Economy: Backcountry roadless areas support sustainable outdoor recreation—such as hiking, hunting, fishing, and camping—that drives our regional economies.
Rolling back this proven safeguard is reckless, unnecessary, and goes against the overwhelming public consensus that values our public lands. Please keep the Roadless Rule intact for current and future generations.
Sincerely,
Debra Burstiner
McKinleyville, CA 95519