Effort to Save Roadless Forests Moves to Next Stage
Alaska, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, California, and Colorado probably will be the initial battlegrounds as conservationists try to prevent logging and roadbuilding across nearly 60 million acres of undeveloped national forests.
In May 2005, the Bush administration essentially eliminated the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which was to have taken effect in 2001 but has been under siege by political appointees the past four years. Most roadless areas now can be roaded, drilled, or logged unless the governor of the state where the national forest is located petitions the U.S. Forest Service to leave the area alone. Even if the governor does so, the Forest Service can proceed with development.
Roadless forests, located in 38 states, are a major source of clean drinking water for communities downstream and are vital to many rare species, including grizzlies and martens. According to Trout Unlimited, 83 percent of Oregon’s bull trout spawning and rearing habitat is found in roadless areas. These values, combined with the first-rate recreational opportunities that such forests offer, make these areas increasingly important to the health of local economies.
“America’s national forests already are crisscrossed by 386,000 miles of roads—enough to encircle the Earth 15 times, and the Forest Service has a $10 billion maintenance backlog on those roads,” observes Michael Francis, who oversees our national forest work. “Enough is enough. We need a more balanced approach to our forests.”
Logging is on the drawing boards for Alaska’s Tongass National Forest and Oregon’s Siskiyou National Forest. “We have had to turn to the federal courts to try to protect these forests,” says Francis. In addition, we are sitting down with governors such as Bill Richardson (D-NM) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) to discuss strategy. In Congress, we are building support for legislation that would reinstate the original Roadless Rule.
Since 2001, various versions of this regulation have generated ten times more public comments than any federal rule in history. Major corporations such as Staples, outdoor retailers such as REI, and hundreds of gun groups, as well as millions of citizens, have urged protection of roadless areas. “These are national forests, and they belong to every American,” says Mike Anderson, our senior policy analyst, based in Seattle. “They should be kept in their natural condition for future generations.”
