Please Preserve the Roadless Rule — Docket FS-2025-0001
Dear U.S. Forest Service,
I strongly oppose rescinding the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Retain these protections and reject the proposal to remove them.
I have lived in the Bend, Oregon, area since the early 1980s. Before that, I spent many summers in Lassen National Forest in Northern California, where I still spend time today. These forests have been part of my life for decades.
Access to wild places on foot is one of the reasons we choose to live here. Quiet, solitude, and the opportunity to experience an undeveloped forest are valuable in their own right. Building roads into these places would diminish the very qualities we treasure.
Over the years, I have witnessed and experienced wildfires. Many of the fires that have affected the places I know have been human-caused. I oppose expanding road access into remote forests and creating more opportunities for human-caused fires. Our forests and nearby communities already face enough risk.
Our national forests also attract visitors and support local businesses in the Bend area. Protecting their natural beauty and opportunities for recreation helps preserve our community’s quality of life and economic future.
I want future generations to inherit forests with their wild character intact. Once these places are altered by roads and development, the consequences can last for generations.
Do not rescind the Roadless Rule. Preserve the existing protections.
Thank you for considering my comment.