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 Ocala National Forest and the Everglades National Park near my home in Florida. Protecting these unfragmented landscapes is deeply personal to me because of the generations of my family that have camped, hiked and paddled in our natural areas. I depend on these watersheds for clean drinking water as well. I participate as a volunteer to keep the mangroves free of trash. 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.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment.
Mary Vites