Dear Secretary Rollins,
I strongly oppose the proposal to eliminate or weaken the Roadless Rule. As a native of north Alabama who camped, fished, and hiked in Oakley Mountain in the Talladega National Forest, I experienced how vital these public lands are. The USDA's proposal would devastate these public lands, waste taxpayer resources, and undermine the water, habitat, and recreation that many millions of Americans rely on.
These roadless forests represent some of the most intact ecosystems left in our country. They serve critical ecological functions: filtering clean drinking water, provide wildlife habitats, and are carbon sinks . People, like me and my family, hike, forage, bike, fish, camp, ski, climb, and find pleasure in these places. Roads will do damage: spreading invasive species, disrupting habitats, and disrupting the particular remote recreation that is unique to these Roadless areas. More roads in the backcountry also mean more fires. Research shows wildfires are more likely to ignite near roads, and nce roads and clearcuts fragment these landscapes, the damage is permanent.
I do not support any of the proposed action alternatives that roll back the Roadless Rule. Please abandon this misguided effort, and I ask that the USDA instead strengthen its commitment to protecting America’s roadless forests.
References:
Aplet, G.H., Hartger, P. & Dietz, M.S. Three-decade record of contiguous-U.S. national forest wildfires indicates increased density of ignitions near roads. fire ecol 22, 8 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-026-00450-2
Mildrexler, D.J., Berner, L.T., Law, B.E. & Both, M.S. Roadless rule rescission threatens highest integrity forest ecosystems in the United States. Biological Conservation 321, 111950 (2026) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2026.111950
Sincerely,
Jessica Hines
Saco, ME 04072-3544
hinesjn0@gmail.com