This land is your land. This land is our land. It is not Trump's land or the timber industry's land to destroy our forests! Vote NO to the Trump administration s plans to develop the last remaining undeveloped lands within our national forests. More than 50 million acres of roadless national forests are an American treasure. For the past 25 years, the Roadless Rule has protected forests from roadbuilding, logging, preserving endangered species, irreplaceable wildlife habitat, sources of clean water and recreation areas. The Trump administration s proposal to repeal the Roadless Rule threatens America's values. In the Tongass National Forest, eliminating the Roadless Rule would remove protections against industrial logging and damaging roadbuilding from over 9 million acres of the 17-million-acre forest.Allowing roadbuilding will increase wildfires. More roads are not wildfire-prevention because more than 80% of wildfires occur within 800 meters of roads. Save old trees. Once an old-growth tree is cut and sold, it will take longer than most human lifetimes to replace it. Forests are not a disposable crop to be used to profit industry executives. Forests are the home to fish, birds, wildlife and people. Forests filter drinking water and the air and provide space for recreational activities. Forests absorb and store carbon, helping us to mitigate climate change, and are the most resilient to wildfire. Older trees absorb and store more carbon than younger trees. It is very important that we keep these forests standing to help reverse the climate crisis. Bulldozing forests to develop roads and logging means we will lose these benefits. Pristine lands protected by the Roadless Rule provide an extraordinary landscape for backcountry recreation activities; sustain sensitive wildlife species that need undeveloped lands and cannot survive without them; and provide clean, clear drinking water for communities throughout our country. Without protection for these roadless lands, all of those benefits will be at the risk of devastating, irreversible consequences. Please keep and honor the Roadless Rule and protect our forests for everyone now and for future generations. Sincerely, Karen Kaplan Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Sincerely,
Karen K.
Scotts Valley, CA