I live in Lambertville, NJ and am writing to urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to retain the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and select the No Action Alternative. My connection to National Forest lands includes hiking and backpacking. This country is unique in its beauty and wilderness and draws people from all over the country and beyond to appreciate it. If we do not preserve it in the most aggressive of ways, we will lose this treasure.
Mount Zion is one place that has shaped my views on this proposal. It is within the Mount Zion Inventoried Roadless Area in Olympic National Forest. The serenity is next to god.
I am concerned about wildlife habitat and landscape connectivity. Without protection the nature will be lost.
I am concerned about increased timber-development pressure in currently roadless areas. We need as many trees as possible in this world, and many countries cannot resist the money of developers. We can!
Before rescinding the national rule, I would like USDA to answer this question: How would USDA ensure that roadless values are protected through individual forest plans and project-level decisions if the national rule is removed?
For these reasons, I urge USDA to retain the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and select the No Action Alternative. Thank you for considering my comments.