The Nature Conservancy : U.S. Forest Service Restores Tongass Roadless Protections

Press release from The Nature Conservancy:

November 19, 2021

The following is a statement by Steve Cohn, state director of The Nature Conservancy’s Alaska chapter, after the U.S. Forest Service announced it would restore roadless protections on Tongass National Forest:

“Today, the administration honored decades of progress toward a sustainable future for the Tongass. Unsustainable development jeopardizes critical wildlife habitat and salmon runs that are a cornerstone of Southeast Alaska’s ecology, culture and economy. The steps announced today will ensure these values remain intact.

“Throughout the rulemaking process during the previous administration, an exemption from roadless protections was not supported by the vast majority of the public, Southeast Alaskan communities and all cooperating tribes. That decision rejected collaborative pathways laid out by diverse stakeholders, prioritizing a singular use for the forest that moved attention and resources away from work the U.S. Forest Service could be doing to further enhance the forest’s benefits.

“We are pleased that progress has been made on the Tongass over the past decade to move away from conflict and litigation by encouraging collaboration and community engagement. We believe restoring roadless protections and investing in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s complementary Southeast Alaska Sustainability Strategy will get us back on track toward a brighter future for the people and nature of the forest.”

This press release was produced by The Nature Conservancy. The views expressed here are the author’s own.