National forest roads: Impacts on wildlife and wildfire risk

The U.S. Forest Service is currently in the middle of two major deregulatory efforts related to roads and motor vehicle use:  the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule and the regulations governing motor vehicle use on National Forest System lands.

First, the agency is in the final stages of repealing the Roadless Area Conservation Rule of 2001, which will open 45 million acres of naturally intact and wild forests to logging and development. Initially announced to widespread outrage in the summer of 2025, this process is now in its final stages.

Additionally, the Forest Service recently announced it is gutting the rule that governs the use of motor vehicles in national forests. The result will be less safety and certainty for everyone who visits and uses these places: Trails will be presumed open to motor vehicle use “unless specifically closed,” forcing land managers to reconsider opening more than 100,000 miles of roads that are already closed to protect natural and cultural resources, while putting all public lands visitors and wildlife in needless danger.

Though roads and motorized trails can offer convenience and unique recreational experiences, they are not harmless. The mere construction of a road or motorized trail has serious impacts on the surrounding land: fragmenting habitat, altering natural water flow, contributing to erosion. In the process, the original primordial character of the landscape—the very thing that many people set out to find on public lands—is lost. But research has shown that the impacts compound once a road or motorized trail is in active use.  

One recent study found evidence that motorized activity on new or reopened roads and trails drives wildlife away. Over the course of two summer field seasons, researchers (including The Wilderness Society’s senior director of science, Dr. Kathy Zeller) played recorded sounds of recreational activity at isolated sites in the Bridger–Teton National Forest and compared animal visitation numbers with control groups. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the results showed that recreation noises drove animals away. In the case of high frequency motorized recreation use, all species but mule deer failed to return to baseline control numbers during the study’s 15-week duration, even at night after the sounds fell silent.

Research has also shown a concerning relationship between roads and wildfires. Three scientists at The Wilderness Society—Greg Aplet, Matt Dietz and Phil Hartger—analyzed more than three decades of data about wildfire ignitions in national forests. Their findings were unambiguous: the highest density of wildfire ignition was found within 50 meters of a road, and the figure decreased with distance. Put simply, the results suggest that building more roads is likely to result in more fires. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz even confirmed this data in a Congressional hearing (questioning by Senator Ruben Gallego begins at 01:55:12).

Even ignoring these studies, the case for the administration’s actions rests on the idea that there are not enough existing roads and motorized trails. The facts suggest otherwise.  

Analysis by The Wilderness Society shows there are already over 300,000 miles of motorized routes: about six times the length of the interstate highway system. On top of that, approximately 62% of Forest Service lands outside of designated wilderness are within half a mile of a road or motorized trail.

The data shows just how little has been left in the undeveloped, natural state that inspires a love for public lands to begin with. If roadless protections are repealed and travel management rules are gutted, it will only be a matter of time before those precious few places are carved up by roads and motorized trails—damaging the land, driving away wildlife and raising fire risk in the process.

Current and future generations deserve to experience the sense of freedom, serenity and wonder that wild national forests offer. It simply is not worth risking those rare places for more roads.