FS-2025-0001-601586

I am writing to urge the federal government to prioritize the permanent protection of remaining unpaved and undeveloped lands from commercial development and logging. Preserving these intact ecosystems is critical for our climate, biodiversity, and public well-being. Protecting unpaved lands is essential for several reasons: • Climate Resilience and Carbon Storage: Intact forests and undisturbed soils act as massive, natural carbon sinks. Industrial logging releases this stored carbon back into the atmosphere, while paving over land eliminates its ability to absorb carbon in the future. Furthermore, undeveloped watersheds regulate local temperatures and mitigate extreme weather risks. • Biodiversity and Habitat Connectivity: Fragmenting ecosystems with roads, pads, and clear-cuts destroys critical wildlife corridors. Large, contiguous tracts of unpaved land are necessary for species migration, genetic diversity, and the survival of threatened ecosystems. • Watershed Protection and Flood Mitigation: Unpaved land acts as a natural sponge. It absorbs rainfall, filters pollutants, and recharges underground aquifers. Replacing natural terrain with impermeable surfaces or removing tree cover drastically increases soil erosion, degrades water quality, and heightens the risk of severe downstream flooding. • Economic and Public Health Benefits: Public lands provide irreplaceable opportunities for outdoor recreation, which fuels a robust outdoor economy. Additionally, access to wild, undeveloped spaces is proven to improve public health and mental well-being. Managing public lands for short-term extraction compromises long-term ecological stability. I request that the agency expand protective designations, limit timber harvesting to strictly ecological restoration, and halt the expansion of industrial infrastructure on remaining wild lands. Thank you for considering these comments and for your dedication to safeguarding our shared natural heritage. Sincerely, Danny Monger