Defend the Roadless Rule to protect America’s iconic wildlife and habitats

The Roadless Rule protects our public lands and wildlife–the U.S. Forest Service is proposing to repeal it.

Established in 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, or “Roadless Rule,” limits road construction and logging on millions of acres of ecologically sensitive, unfragmented national forest land. It safeguards wildlife dependent on undeveloped habitat, protects clean drinking water, and supports outdoor recreation benefitting local economies.

Last August, the U.S. Forest Service published a notice of intent to repeal the Roadless Rule, prioritizing short-term economic interests over the integrity of our public lands. This regulatory rollback goes against our shared public interest; the Roadless Rule was created with input from over 1.6 million public comments, and last September over half a million Americans opposed the planned repeal.

Despite clear and overwhelming public opposition, the Forest Service has just released its updated proposal with the intention of finalizing this rollback by the end of the year. Protected national forest lands belong to the public and should not be put at risk for the short-term benefit of extractive industries.

Defend our national forests to protect wildlife and people for generations to come. Submit a comment opposing the Roadless Rule rollback to the Forest Service before September 21, 2026 to make your voice heard.

First Name

Last Name

Address 1

City

State

ZIP

Country / Region

Mobile Number (optional)**

rk01an93

I urge the U.S. Forest Service to keep intact the existing Roadless Area Conservation Rule (“Roadless Rule”), which protects nearly 45 million acres of our nation’s forests and grasslands. Prior to the rule’s implementation in 2001, industrial logging and accompanying roadbuilding disrupted and destroyed 3.2 million acres of fragile habitat annually while also degrading clean water supplies and limiting outdoor recreation opportunities.

For a quarter century, the Roadless Rule has protected ecologically sensitive landscapes, wildlife populations and habitat, and communities dependent upon their services. The rule protects countless wild animals, including imperiled species who rely on intact habitats for survival. Additionally, these lands provide clean water and support numerous recreational activities that sustain local jobs and economies. The rule allows for flexibility in resource management, with exceptions for vegetation management and road construction projects in the interest of public health and safety.

The American public overwhelmingly supports the Roadless Rule; recent bipartisan polling shows that 77% of voters support conserving roadless lands. Indeed, the rule was created with input from over 1.6 million comments and, in September, over half a million Americans responded to the U.S. Forest Service’s notice of intent to repeal the Roadless Rule with comments voicing strong opposition.

We have made our opinion clear time and time again–our public lands should remain public, not be degraded for the interests of private industry. I strongly urge the U.S. Forest Service not to repeal the Roadless Rule, as keeping the rule intact will protect our shared forestlands for generations to come.

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Address}, {user_data~State} {user_data~ZIP}

We will keep you updated on our campaigns via email. You can unsubscribe at any time.

**By providing my mobile phone number, I opt-in to receive text messages and phone calls from IFAW.