Why the Roadless Rule Matters for Wildlife, Clean Water and Public Lands

America’s remaining roadless forests are more than remote landscapes. Many are directly adjacent to, or ecologically connected with, national parks and nature reserves. Removing protections established under the Roadless Rule could weaken the ecological buffers that help protect these better-known public lands.

Roadless areas protect critical wildlife habitat

For many species, roadless forests provide essential core habitat. Research shows that road-free areas protect critical habitat for a wide range of wildlife.

For example, more than half of the suitable habitat for California’s endangered elongated salamander in the Sierra Nevada is located in roadless areas. In addition, nearly 40 percent of Mount Pinos lodgepole chipmunks—a vulnerable subspecies—live in California’s roadless forests.

Additional research has found that every designated roadless area contains at least two wildlife species of conservation concern. The median roadless area supports 10 species considered at risk of long-term decline or survival. In Arizona, some roadless areas provide habitat for as many as 62 species of conservation concern.

Roadless forests help protect drinking water

Road-free areas also play a major role in protecting watersheds. These watersheds supply drinking water to approximately 47 million Americans.

Without the Roadless Rule, watersheds would continue to provide water, but their long-term health and hydrological stability could be threatened. Roads can disrupt natural river flows, increase erosion and send more sediment into streams and reservoirs. Treating polluted or sediment-heavy water can also raise purification costs for communities.

The U.S. Forest Service’s Watershed Condition Framework identifies road density as an important indicator of watershed health. High road density can contribute to disruptions in both water quality and water quantity.

What is at stake if the Roadless Rule is rolled back?

A proposed reduction in protections from the Trump administration, expected to be formalized in 2026, could open some of America’s last undeveloped forests to road construction and other forms of development. New roads can fragment wildlife habitat, disrupt migration routes and permanently alter ecosystems that may take decades—or longer—to recover.

When the Roadless Rule was introduced in 2001, millions of Americans voiced support for protecting undeveloped national forest lands. More than two decades later, public opposition remains strong. An analysis of comments on the proposed repeal by the Center for Western Priorities found that more than 99 percent of submitted comments opposed repealing the rule.

Protecting roadless forests helps maintain healthy ecosystems on public lands while preserving opportunities for hiking, hunting, fishing and quiet recreation. These landscapes provide wildlife habitat, safeguard clean water and offer future generations the chance to experience nature without the noise and disruption of roads.

Mariah Meek is an Associate Professor of Integrative Biology at Michigan State University. Travis Belote is an Assistant Professor of Landscape Ecology at Montana State University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.