The administration under former President Trump is set to permit extensive development within national forests by opening up vast areas currently protected from logging and road construction. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) made this announcement recently, stating it will rescind a significant regulation aimed at preserving the remaining unfragmented national forest areas.
According to the USDA, the decision is intended to enhance timber production and improve the management of lands susceptible to wildfires. However, conservation advocates argue that this shift represents a dangerous move towards industrial exploitation of natural resources, potentially leading to the destruction of pristine forests and escalating wildfire risks.
“It is clear that this administration will take any measures necessary to commercialize land where we hunt, fish, and engage in cherished outdoor traditions,” stated Andy Moderow, a senior policy director at the Alaska Wilderness League, in a press release. “This announcement signals a blatant attempt to convert public land for large-scale logging operations.”
“A clear attempt to sell off public land for industrial-scale clear-cut logging”
This controversial action involves repealing the “Roadless Rule,” established in 2001 under President Bill Clinton. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins deemed the rule “overly restrictive” in a recent statement. The decision follows a March executive order from Trump aimed at stimulating timber production. The agency indicates that this repeal could end protections for nearly 59 million acres of national forest, equating to approximately 30 percent of such lands in the National Forest System.
The impact of this rule repeal will vary significantly across different forests, with the Tongass National Forest in Alaska being heavily affected. This forest, which comprises about 92 percent of the total area impacted by the rule, houses the largest remaining old-growth forest in the United States and has been a focal point of contention since earlier attempts to roll back roadless protections.
The USDA’s claims that 28 million acres of land, previously safeguarded under the roadless rule, are categorized as “at high or very high risk of wildfire” have drawn skepticism from environmental groups. They argue that allowing new roads and logging activities in these areas will increase wildfire dangers rather than mitigate them through effective management practices.
Randi Spivak, public lands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity, commented, “The notion that we will open these forests up for responsible management is laughable. It is, in fact, an irresponsible approach to management to make them accessible for logging and road construction.” She noted that wildfires frequently ignite near roads, often due to careless behavior, and highlighted that loggers focus on mature trees, which are generally more fire-resistant, rather than younger trees that are more vulnerable to burning.
Spivak also emphasized the complexity of forest management, lamenting its exploitation by both the timber industry and the current administration.
Historically, the logging sector has advocated for firefighting tactics that aim to protect areas where timber is harvested. The traditional approach has been to aggressively suppress all forest fires, which has unintentionally fueled larger outbreaks by allowing dry underbrush to accumulate. In many western regions, wildfires play a natural role in maintaining balance by clearing out dry debris that could otherwise contribute to larger fires.
Proponents of the timber industry’s narrative have suggested that thinning forests reduces fire risks. However, Spivak criticized this, stating, “Thinning is merely a euphemism for logging; the underlying practices are essentially the same.”
Modern fire management strategies prioritize minimizing the likelihood of community fires. While climate change has contributed to an increase in wildfires across the western United States, the current administration has not prioritized measures that address these environmental challenges. Forests play a crucial role in sequestering carbon dioxide, and it is essential to maintain their health to ensure continued contributions to greenhouse gas reduction.
