Why We’re Standing Up for the Roadless Rule at TripOutside
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving to rescind one of the most successful conservation policies in our history: the Roadless Area Conservation Rule.
For nearly 25 years, this rule has protected 58 million acres of public lands from destructive road building, strip-mining, and logging—keeping about 30% of our national forests intact for wildlife, clean water, recreation, and the kind of endless human wandering we all love.
If the rule is rolled back, 45 million acres of wild forest could be opened up to development. That means less habitat for wildlife, more polluted water, and fewer places for us to chase pow, bag peaks, and find the kind of type-2 fun that only comes from getting deep into the backcountry. Patagonia lays out what’s at stake really well in this recent article.
Right now, the Forest Service is accepting public comments on whether to scrap the Roadless Rule. This is our moment to keep pressure on and show how much we care about protecting our public lands. Please help protect our wild places by taking action by September 19th!
Take action before September 19: Submit your comment here. It only takes a couple minutes, but your voice could help save millions of acres of wild forest for future generations.
Your Turn
We’d love to hear from you—what do these wild, roadless places mean to you?
- Do you have a favorite memory from a national forest?
- What’s the gnarliest or most peaceful adventure you’ve had in a roadless area?
- How would losing access to these wild spaces impact your connection to the outdoors?
Drop your story or a photo below. Let’s remind everyone why these lands are worth fighting for. Here’s our shot from our backyard in the San Juans - an area that could lose critical protections if the Roadless Rule gets rolled back.
