09/01/2026
For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has helped safeguard millions of acres of undeveloped national forest—and the watersheds within them.
In response to the USDA’s recent proposal to roll back protections across nearly 45 million acres, OARS VP of Sales & Marketing Steve Markle wrote a letter that explains why the Roadless Rule matters for rivers, the communities that depend on them, and all of us who love wild places.
“The Roadless Rule was never solely about trees. It is, in large part, a rivers policy — one that protects drinking water at its source, sustains the ecological conditions that make our rivers among the best in the world for boating and fishing, and underwrites a recreation economy that depends on those rivers staying wild.
For downstream water users and for the guides, outfitters, and small towns that depend on clean drinking water and healthy whitewater, retaining the rule protects an asset we can’t afford to lose. If we allow the Forest Service to rescind the Roadless Rule, the decision will cascade downstream to every community, farm, and ecosystem that depends on the rivers flowing from our national forests.”
Read Steve’s full letter at the link below. 📣 Then join us in urging members of Congress to defend the Roadless Rule. The public comment period is now open.
