“open up pristine, untouched ecosystems to commercial timber harvesting”
“costly road construction”
“preserve the existing protections”
“negative impacts this rollback will have”
What it names
Roadless areas
South Mills River
The comment
I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposal to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. As a resident of North Carolina, I am deeply concerned about the negative impacts this rollback will have on the more than 152,000 acres of protected, roadless land in the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests.
Repealing this rule will open up pristine, untouched ecosystems to commercial timber harvesting and costly road construction. I urge you to preserve the existing protections for the following reasons:
• Drinking Water Protection: The Inventoried Roadless Areas in Western North Carolina protect vital headwaters for major rivers and creeks, including the Cullasaja River, Cartoogechaye Creek, and the Nantahala River. Millions of citizens downstream, including municipal water users as far as Charlotte, rely on these pristine areas for clean, filtered drinking water. Introducing logging roads will inevitably increase erosion and sediment runoff, threatening water security and human health.
• Biodiversity and Aquatic Habitats: The Southern Appalachian forests are a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot. Increased sedimentation from new mountain roads will directly degrade critical trout streams and threaten sensitive native species like the native brook trout, hellbender salamanders, and freshwater mussels.
• Backcountry Recreation and Tourism: Millions of visitors flock to WNC landscapes like Snowbird, South Mills River, and Graveyard Fields for quiet backcountry recreation, hunting, fishing, and hiking. Commercial logging and traffic noise will fundamentally alter the outdoor experience and harm the regional outdoor recreation economy.