Since it was enacted in 2001, the Roadless Rule has served to protect 58.5 million acres of national forest in 39 states from road-building and industrial development. Protecting these lands protects entire ecosystems from disturbance and fragmentation, including watersheds, streams, lakes, and their inhabitants. These lands include more than 4 million acres in California that include alpine conifer forests, coastal forests, and southern California “backyard forests” in the mountains above the LA basin.
In June 2025, the USDA announced plans to rescind the roadless rule. Trout Unlimited was among the many organizations and individuals who spoke up and submitted 625,000 comments, 99% of which supported keeping roadless protections in place.
It’s time to do it again. The USDA announced yet another plan to rescind the Roadless Rule and the comment period is open. One of the easiest ways you can volunteer to support the TU mission is to make your voice heard by submitting a comment to the USDA. Click or tap the button below to edit and submit a comment.
You can find out more about the roadless rule, why Trout Unlimited supports it, and how your voice matters here: https://www.tu.org/magazine/from-the-president/from-the-president-keep-it-roadless/