“creates a healthier environment for us and our future”
The comment
Hello!
The purpose of my comment today is to oppose the rescinding of the roadless area conservation rule. I firmly believe that the roadless rule protects crucial wilderness areas, preserves indigenous cultural heritage, and creates a healthier environment for us and our future.
As a university student, I am more than excited and motivated to launch into my future. However, I recognize that without a healthy environment, the future I hope for is at risk. I believe the rescinding of this legislation would serve only to harm many ecologically-vital areas, include vital old growth forests which have been untouched by logging for centuries. It would be devastating for so many to see old growth forests, which also serve to protect areas from wildfires in a time when they plague the western United States, disappear.
Additionally, many of the lands at risk are historically important lands for indigenous people across the continent. In the modern day, indigenous people still use many of these lands for traditional hunting practices. It would be shameful to see these lands turn into the hands of private owners and deprive indigenous folks from accessing their historical lands.
There are many more reasons to protect these lands, whether it’s protecting recreational areas, preventing habitat fragmentation for endangered species, and protecting critical headwaters in the midst of drought. These and the aforementioned reasons are all contributing the fact that the roadless rule must not be repealed.