To the U.S. Forest Service:
I am writing to express my strong opposition to any efforts to rescind, weaken, or roll back the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. As an avid user and advocate for our nation’s public lands, I rely heavily on the integrity and protection of our inventoried roadless areas. I frequently visit the area of Pisgah & Nantahala national forest and I use the blue ridge parkway weekly for hiking and enjoying the beauty of our mountains near my home in WNC. Protecting these unfragmented landscapes is deeply personal to me because I have lived here my whole life and after experiencing hurricane Helene I believe the people of WNC and surrounding areas have already experienced enough damage and destruction. I urge the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to abandon the proposed rescission and instead maintain full protections for all currently designated inventoried roadless areas. Please please do not destroy our forest and national park all for the sake of money and what the rich man wants. Listen to people who live near these areas and actually will have to experience the loss and damage this will all cause.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment.
Sincerely,
Hannah Petersen
WNC Native & Local Nature Lover