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My home is 2.9 miles from White Mountain National Forest, and an Inventoried Roadless Area in the Sandwich Notch area. My wife, my sons (1 and 4), and our extended family explore this area on a weekly basis - sometimes daily. It is extremely special to us, and maintaining it in its current character is extremely important to us. The repeal of the roadless rule is an action without a need - roads cannot be undone (there are still abandoned roads from 200 years old that run all over our forest lands in New Hampshire). Fire prevention is not needed in our region, and nationwide the data seems to indicate that the overwhelming percentage of fires are caused by people close to roads. Fewer roads, fewer fires. Regardless, the places my family and I are building our memories rely on wild places, and repealing the Roadless Rule directly threatens our enjoyment of this lands.
Further, as a licensed outdoor guide, my work and livelihood is directly threatened in New Hampshire and nationwide by any reduction in wild lands.
I am submitted photos with my 1 year old son close to our home, overlooking one of the IRAs. Please, strengthen the Roadless Rule, rather than eliminating it.