Take Action: Roadless Rule Under Attack

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced plans to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, beginning with a Notice of Intent on August 29th. This rollback threatens protections for roughly 45 million acres of national forest land across 37 states and opens a brief 21-day public comment period.

For nearly 25 years, the Roadless Rule has safeguarded America’s backcountry, protecting clean drinking water, conserving world-class fish and wildlife habitat, and supporting unmatched hunting and fishing opportunities. The rule was originally created to help the Forest Service manage the massive cost of maintaining 386,000 miles of existing roads. Since then, it has proven to be one of the most effective and popular tools for conserving intact public lands.

NDWF supports working together to strengthen, not eliminate, the Roadless Rule. Thoughtful adjustments could improve wildfire protection for communities while continuing to conserve fish, wildlife, and clean water. But rescinding the rule altogether would trade away these lasting benefits for little economic gain, while burdening future generations with more roads to maintain, more costs, and greater wildfire risk.

Roadless areas make up just 2% of America’s land base, yet they deliver outsized benefits. They allow for grazing, motorized trails, energy development, and restoration projects while also serving as critical habitat and public access for sportsmen and women. In fact, one in five acres treated for wildfire risk in the West has been in roadless areas.

Once these places are gone, they are gone for good. We urge the Forest Service to keep the Roadless Rule in place and work with stakeholders to protect these last best wildlands for future generations.

Take action starting Friday, August 29th and make your comment here. The deadline to comment is September 19th, 2025.