Dear Secretary Rollins,
As a scientist, river restoration practitioner, and outdoor recreationist, I extremely oppose the USDA’s proposal to eliminate or weaken the Roadless Rule. This reckless action would devastate public lands, waste taxpayer resources, and undermine the water, wildlife habitat, and recreation opportunities on which millions of Americans depend.
Roadless forests represent some of the most intact, resilient ecosystems left in our country. They protect faraway cities and infrastructure, filter and store drinking water, provide refuge for many species, and serve as carbon sinks critical to mitigating the worsening impacts of climate change. People hunt, hike, forage, bike, fish, camp, ski, climb, and find solace in these remote places.
Roads spread invasive species, fragment wildlife habitat, and erode the very ecological resilience we need in the face of a changing climate. More roads in the backcountry also mean more fires: research shows wildfires are more likely to ignite near roads. Once roads and clearcuts fragment these landscapes, the damage is permanent. Weakening or repealing the Roadless Rule would undermine decades of conservation and take millennia to recover from.
I do not support any of the proposed action alternatives that roll back the Roadless Rule. I urge the USDA to maintain the one of its most important policies and continue to protect America’s roadless forests for the clean water, climate resilience, recreation, and biodiversity they provide. Let's trade instant gratification and extraction for long term stewardship that protects what we love for future generations to enjoy. Leave the Roadless Rule in place.
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,
Emily Iskin
Hood River, OR 97031-1104
emilyiskin@gmail.com