Imagine a forest where moose, deer, and black bear roam freely, where silence is broken only by the wind dancing in the aspen leaves, and where streams bubble up from rocky beds and begin their journeys to the ocean. Colorado’s roadless areas are the treasures of our national forests.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, Colorado's national forests contain over 4.1 million acres of roadless areas. However, inventories conducted by environmental groups reveal that this number may be significantly higher. Whatever the number, the bottom line remains the same: protecting these last remaining roadless areas is essential to protecting our economy, quality of life, and wilderness future.
Roadless areas provide outstanding backcountry recreational opportunities, increasingly important to a growing population. These spectacular wildlands are home to many imperiled species, including the northern goshawk, Canada lynx, and cutthroat trout. They also provide our growing urban centers with drinking water, help regulate the climate, and provide Colorado millions of dollars in tourism and hunting income.
Good for Nature, Good for Business Protection of public roadless lands is consistent with a thriving economy, and maintains the natural capital that forms the foundation of Colorado's identity, quality of life, and economic health. Colorado's economy is increasingly driven by high-tech and "knowledge-based" industries that locate in Colorado because of the educated workforce which chooses to live here for the high quality of life, including the scenery and outdoor recreation opportunities, public lands provide.
As Colorado’s outdoor recreation industry continues to grow, Coloradans and out-of-state tourists alike increasingly visit the state’s roadless areas to enjoy world-class scenery, wildlife habitat, and opportunities for a true backcountry experience. These visitors pour money into local restaurants, hotels, outfitting operations, and gear shops.
In contrast, extractive industries make up a very small portion of Colorado's economy: as of 2004, resource extraction (mining, farming, oil and gas, and timber-related) provided only 1.02 percent of the total personal income and 3.8 percent of total jobs in Colorado.
History of the Roadless Rule In September 2001, after broad public debate and participation, and overwhelming public support, the U.S. Forest Service’s Roadless Area Conservation Rule—a highly favored policy that would protect the last remaining wild and intact areas of national forest and grasslands from road construction and from most logging, drilling and mining—was signed into law. Approximately 4.1 million of Colorado’s 14.5 million acres of national forest lands is considered roadless under the rule and would benefit from this important policy.
The Roadless Rule protects nearly 60 million acres of national forest within the U.S., preserving critical habitat for fish and wildlife, including more that 1,600 threatened, endangered or sensitive plant and animal species. The rule also safeguards pristine headwaters that provide clean water to more than 60 million Americans while keeping forests open for recreational opportunities including fishing, hunting, hiking, and camping.
The people of Colorado are among the many outspoken citizens who understand the importance of protecting the nation’s last wild places by supporting the Roadless Rule. In gathering public input on the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, the Forest Service held 27 public meetings in Colorado and collected over 28,000 comments from Colorado citizens. Ninety-two percent of the comments endorsed the protection of roadless areas.
However, just as the Roadless Rule was scheduled to take effect, the newly sworn-in Bush administration took action to block the rule. The administration’s act resulted in five years of legal battles and new policies that would increase logging and reduce environmental protection for national forest roadless lands.
Colorado Roadless Areas Review Task Force In May of 2005, the Bush administration formally repealed the 2001 Roadless Rule, and replaced it with a process requiring governors to petition the Department of Agriculture in order to seek protections for their state’s roadless areas. Once governors submitted a petition, the federal government could choose to accept, modify, or outright reject the petition, leaving states with no guarantee their petitions would be granted and their roadless forests protected.
In response, Colorado set up a bipartisan thirteen-member Roadless Areas Review Task Force to advise the governor in the petitioning process. The Task Force held public hearings and meetings around the state to discuss roadless areas, and identified compelling reasons to uphold the types of protections offered in the Roadless Rule. The Task Force has reviewed and incorporated comments from Colorado citizens―who overwhelmingly supported protection of Colorado’s roadless areas―into a petition recommendation to the governor for the management of the state’s roadless lands.
Roadless Rule Reinstated In September 2006, the Roadless Rule and the American public won a tremendous victory. In a historic decision—one that is important for both the citizens of Colorado and the nation as a whole—a federal court in California ruled to reinstate the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. This decision has the effect of reenacting the original rule and providing important protection for the nation’s roadless areas. The people of Colorado have repeatedly asked for increased protection of their roadless forests and will now receive this important safeguard for their national forests and grasslands.
While the Roadless Rule will likely face additional challenges in the upcoming months, the nation’s roadless areas are one step closer to receiving long-term protection. To ensure the preservation of our remaining roadless areas, we urge you to continue speaking up for protection of these irreplaceable lands.
For More Information
