From the Tongass in Alaska, to the Gila in New Mexico, to the Nantahala in North Carolina, Americans are still free to roam millions of acres of land that is still wild in our national forests.
These forests provide shelter and food to songbirds and salamanders, bears and moose, lynx and wolverines.
They’re places where you can find a prime fishing spot, a remote hunting camp, a challenging climb up a rock face, a scenic trail, and raw and rough (but fun) terrain for mountain biking or backcountry skiing.
They also serve as natural filters for the waters that flow from deep in the forest to the homes of millions of Americans.
Free from commercial logging, mining and drilling, trees grow wide and tall in these forests.
And there aren’t many of them left. More than half of forests across the nation are on private land, much of that used for logging or other development. Many public forests are also logged or being logged, including just over one third of our national forests. For nearly 25 years, however, millions of acres of our national forests have been declared off-limits to new roads and logging, mining or other development.
Changing the rules: The threat to our wild forests
The rules that keep America’s wild forests wild might be about to change.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has announced a plan to open up 45 million acres of wild national forests by rescinding the policy known as the Roadless Rule. Without the protections the rule provides, 45 million acres of forests that currently provide recreation, wildlife habitat and clean water would be open to new roads, commercial logging, mining and drilling.
And worst of all, if there’s a massive clearcut, it will take more than our lifetimes for the forest to grow back.
A choice about America’s natural heritage
We could decide to build new roads and allow logging or even mining and drilling in these 45 million acres of national forest, including unspoiled lands in 37 states.
Or we could choose to ensure there’s room for the backpackers and primitive campers who want to get far away from it all. We could ensure that the fishing sites, the mountain bike trails, and the crags are there for people to explore and enjoy for decades to come. We could choose to ensure that our children and grandchildren can still visit places where they can spy (with their little eyes) moose, elk, bears, owls, lizards, bats and all of the other wildlife to find when we venture into the forest.
Yes, we still need wood and other resources that forests provide. But we could choose not to harvest wood from these forests. We could source sustainable timber and wood products from private land. We could reduce our need for new wood by eventually replacing wood pulp with bamboo pulp, wheat straw and other materials. We could invest in scaling up reclaimed and recycled wood products. And we could reduce the demand for new wood by buying used furniture and other products.
We could keep the balance that has stood for more than 20 years: Some areas of our forests are available for the commercial logging that produces wood products; some are places where trees grow big, wildlife thrive and people can enjoy themselves in the wild.
These wild forests belong to all of us
Some of these wild forest areas are deep in the backcountry and require a long hike to get to. Some are very close to towns and cities, easy to access for a Saturday morning adventure in the woods. Whether they are close or far, they belong to all of us. They’re the birthright of every American, rich or poor, liberal or conservative.
They’re also our responsibility.
If we want to keep some places wild for people to visit and explore with their friends and family, we have to set rules to protect them and abide by those rules.
If we want hunters and anglers to find abundant game, we need to protect the forests that allow animals to thrive.
If we want clean water for our homes and families, we need to protect the forests that still harbor clear streams and rivers.
Together, we can defend our wild forests
When Americans come together, we can defend our public lands. In the spring and summer of 2025, millions of Americans from across the country and (more importantly) across the political spectrum spoke out against a proposal to sell off millions of acres of America’s public lands. Congress listened and the proposal was withdrawn.
Now it’s time to defend our wild forests. We’re asking the 37 governors with roadless areas in their states to tell Secretary Rollins to leave America’s last wild forests alone.
In a few months, 45 million acres of wild forests could be opened up; logging projects could be fast-tracked.
Let’s leave these forests alone forever. They are our heritage and our children’s future. Let’s not look back in another 24 years and point to where the wild forests used to be. Let’s point to how tall the trees have grown.
Authors
Ellen runs campaigns to protect America’s beautiful places, from local beachfronts to remote mountain peaks. She sits on the Steering Committee of the Arctic Defense Campaign and co-coordinates the Climate Forests Campaign. Ellen previously worked as the organizing director for Environment America’s Climate Defenders campaign and managed grassroots campaign offices across the country. Ellen lives in Denver, where she likes to hike in Colorado’s mountains.
