Organization offers perspectives on potential revocation of the Roadless Areas Conservation Rule
The proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule by the U.S.D.A Forest Service has sparked a heated debate among various organisations, including environmental groups, government agencies, and industry stakeholders. At the heart of the controversy is the concern that the repeal of the Roadless Rule could negatively impact the hiking community's access to and enjoyment of the 9,298 miles of hiking trails contained within roadless areas. The American Hiking Society (AHS) and the 63 million strong hiking community stand opposed to the proposed rescission. The Roadless Rule, as it stands, provides flexibility for necessary forest maintenance and the construction of roads in specific circumstances. However, the AHS emphasizes the need to protect and preserve the 25,121 miles of trails, including 17,936 miles of non-motorized trails and 1,525 miles of congressionally designated National Scenic and Historic Trails. The deferred maintenance of Forest Service roads already makes up the single biggest portion of deferred maintenance for the agency at $5.98 billion or 55% of total deferred maintenance. Adding additional roads through rescission of the Roadless Rule could exacerbate this issue, as the growing deferred maintenance backlog across the National Forest System is not the result of the Roadless Rule, but the result of chronic underfunding by Congress. Many rural communities rely on the character and nature of the trails in roadless areas as a local economic driver. Rural counties where the recreation industry is a big part of the local economy are more likely to have regained the jobs they lost during the pandemic. Therefore, the EIS should examine the impact to these communities if the Roadless Rule is rescinded. Conventional outdoor recreation activities, including hiking, provide an annual gross economic output of $368 billion. The EIS should also include data and analysis that characterize trends and current use levels associated with outdoor recreational opportunities in national forest Roadless Areas. The Honorable Brooke Rollins, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, will make the final decision on the proposed repeal. The comments on the proposed reinstatement of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule were submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal with Docket ID: FR Doc. 2025-16581. The organization is also concerned that new roads through these areas would scar the landscape and alter use for generations. It is hoped that the EIS will take these concerns into account and ensure access to and preservation of hiking trails across National Forests.
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