I am writing express my support for the Roadless Rule and urge the U.S. Forest Service not to repeal it. The Forest Service is responsible for managing our nation's forests to sustain their health, ecological diversity, and productivity, which includes the protection of old-growth and mature forests. Special places near my home in North Carolina, like the Jefferson National Forest, should be protected fortheir ecological value for birds, their extensive carbon stores, and their subsistence, heritage, and recreational value for current and future generations. Having visited areas of the Jefferson National Forest, I recall firsthand the natural beauty, including unique wildlife sightings that future generations might never experience if this crucial habitat is lost.
Roadless areas represent some of the most intact public lands and wildlife habitats left in the country, home to more than 77 bird species of conservation concern and other potential sensitive species. These lands contribute to local and rural economies through recreation, birdwatching, hunting, and fishing, while also ensuring that downstream communities have safe drinking water.
Ecological forest management to mitigate fire risk, ensure community safety, and improve habitat is important. The Forest Service should focus on how roadless areas are managed and maintained to improve habitats and reduce fire risk, rather than narrowly focusing on road-building and large-scale timber harvests in remote and ecologically sensitive areas. This development would only seem to profit private interests rather than the American public at large.
The intact forests of the National Forest System are essential for healthy wildlife populations, and these public lands are part of what makes our country great. The Forest Service should not repeal the long-standing protections for forests in the Roadless Rule.