For Immediate Release
January 25, 2022
ROADLESS RULE PROTECTIONS REINSTATED TO THE TONGASS
The U.S. Forest Service reinstated the Roadless Rule protections across the Tongass rainforest in Southeast Alaska, the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest and America’s largest national forest. The final rule restores federal protections to over 9 million acres of roadless area, protecting it from industrial logging and damaging roads.
The Roadless Rule, established in 2001 was repealed by the Trump administration in 2020, enabling logging interests to bulldoze roads and clear-cut trees in areas of the Tongass that were off-limits. After several years of tireless efforts to reinstate the rule, The U.S. Forest Service announced its plans to reinstate the Roadless Rule protections.
The Tongass National Forest is a 17-million acre forest located in southeast Alaska. It is an incredibly productive place and keeping it intact is vital not only to ways of life and the economy of Southeast Alaska, but to biodiversity and climate change solutions for the planet. It serves as the country’s largest forest carbon sink. The Tongass hosts some of the rarest ecosystems on the planet. Its old growth serves as vital habitat for brown bears, black bears, Sitka blacktail deer, mountain goats, bald eagles, wolves, all five species of wild Alaska salmon and is home to one quarter of the West Coast’s commercial salmon catch.
Southeast Alaska fishermen have relentlessly advocated for this habitat protection. Annual commercial fisheries dividends from the Tongass include 300 million pounds of seafood, 10,000 jobs and $700 million total economic impact each year on Southeast communities, as well as 72% of southeast Alaska’s coho and 60% of pink salmon.
The Tongass is the homeland of 19 sovereign Indigenous nations including the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian peoples. It is home to more than 73,000 residents across 35 communities and directly accounts for 26% of sustainable jobs in the region, contributing $1 billion to Southeast Alaska’s economy each year.
“We are thrilled and relieved to know the Tongass’ remaining unroaded areas will remain intact vibrant forests for generations to come,” said Linda Behnken, Executive Director of Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association. “Our fisheries depend on healthy habitat, and with climate change driving ocean warming, protecting habitat is increasingly important to the fish, the fisheries, and the coastal fishing communities. This is welcome news.”
Thank you to the countless organizations who worked hard to make this happen and to the supporters who donated, commented and rallied for the Tongass. This wouldn’t have been possible without your help.