ROADLESS AREA CONSERVATION

From the mystic wilds of the American Southwest and Northern Rockies to the colorful deciduous woods of New England and the Appalachians, national forest roadless areas harbor some of America’s last intact ecosystems. These pristine forests afford essential habitat for plants and animals, clean drinking water for millions of Americans, and outstanding opportunities for hiking, camping, and other quiet outdoor recreation.

Spanning 58.5 million acres in 38 states, roadless areas have escaped much of the development and ecological degradation that plagues our national forest system today. Breaking from a history of industrial forest management, the U.S. Forest Service in 2001 issued the landmark Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protected roadless areas from logging, new mining and drilling, road construction, and other development. The rule resulted from 600 public hearings and more than a million public comments.

But at every turn, the administration has tried to pry open the door to development in our last pristine forests. Soon after taking office, the Bush administration began undoing roadless-area protections. First failing to defend the Roadless Rule against industry challenges, the administration attempted to repeal the rule entirely after conservationists won back the important protections. Then, the administration instituted a new rule relinquishing the responsibility for roadless-area protection to individual states. In June 2008, the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management approved a natural-gas pipeline that will require construction of more than eight miles of new roads in protected roadless areas — but after we and our allies legally challenged that approval, a judge temporarily halted the project. We’ve also released a report detailing the Bush administration’s plan to open Idaho’s roadless backcountry forests to more logging, mining, oil and gas development, and road construction.

In a move potentially devastating for roadless areas across the country, in August 2008 a Wyoming federal judge issued an injunction against the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, directly contradicting a 2006 decision reinstating the rule. The Center is determined to defend the essential policy from interpretations that would harm species, ecosystems, and people alike. Using a potent combination of litigation, policy advocacy, outreach, and collaboration, we work on multiple fronts to ensure that America’s roadless lands remain protected forever.