I grew up on the east coast in a suburban neighborhood and spent countless hours outside. However, no matter how far I walked or where I went, there was always a road or town nearby. This was all I had ever known, and before spending time in a roadless area, I had not known how incredible those areas could be.
I frequently fish for Brook trout and it’s no coincidence that the best fishing is in roadless areas. Without roads, the streams can stay cooler and provide better habitat for our native fish. Areas like Shenandoah National Park, and the surrounding areas, have the highest concentrations of trout streams in my area because the forests are intact.
This year, I went elk hunting in the Bighorn National Forest for the first time. It was a beautiful place that offered many forms of recreation. At the end of my hunt, I looked at all of the areas that I found elk sign and saw elk. It was pretty clear that the elk tended to stay a ways off the forest service roads where people would concentrate. It makes complete sense that elk, and all animals, prefer roadless areas that can be a sort of sanctuary to them. While the area I was hunting was not protected by the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, I believe that the idea still applies.
To me, a roadless area is more than just an exceptional place where there is minimal human disturbance. It is a place that can only be appreciated by exploration. Preserving the Roadless Rule will keep places protected so they can be difficult to access. I have always said that the harder it is to get somewhere, the more beautiful it becomes.
I urge the Department of Interior to leave the current Roadless Area Conservation rule in place. I believe that our roadless areas are our greatest treasures, and I want to see them protected and preserved in perpetuity.