The Trump administration's decision to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule could accelerate the extinction of over 400 endangered species, according to a new report. The rollback risks 7.4 million acres of critical habitat and nearly 1,800 miles of protected rivers and streams.
The decision directly impacts biodiversity by threatening hundreds of endangered species and their habitats, potentially leading to extinctions. It also jeopardizes critical natural resources like clean drinking water for millions of Americans and affects regional economies reliant on healthy ecosystems.
The Trump administration's decision to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which protected old-growth forests for over two decades, could accelerate the extinction of more than 400 endangered animal and plant species. A report from the Center for Biological Diversity indicates the rollback risks 7.4 million acres of critical habitat and nearly 1,800 miles of protected rivers and streams, while potentially opening over 45 million acres of national forests to roads, drilling, and logging. The administration stated the rule imposed "outdated restrictions" that hindered forest health treatments and wildfire risk reduction. However, conservationists argue that increased road construction will result in degraded water quality, fragmented wildlife habitats, and heightened wildfire dangers. Species potentially impacted include grizzly bears, gray wolves, wild salmon, Mexican spotted owls, and rare butterflies and wildflowers across various regions. Specific areas facing threats include millions of acres of roadless land in the Rocky Mountains, vital for wildlife and community water supplies. In Alaska, the Tongass National Forest, a major producer of wild salmon and a source of drinking water for several communities, is also at risk, potentially impacting a billion-dollar fishing economy. The southeastern U.S. faces risks to species like eastern hellbenders and bog turtles, with roadless areas in national forests providing crucial drinking water for millions. The southwestern U.S. also sees significant acreage and waterways supporting numerous protected species, including Mexican gray wolves and jaguars, threatened by the policy change. Across the Pacific, millions of acres of roadless areas are at risk, impacting species like the Sierra Nevada red fox. The Northeast and upper Midwest also face habitat loss for species such as American martens and Canada lynxes. This environmental rollback is part of a broader pattern of policy changes by the Trump administration, which has previously allowed off-road vehicles on public lands, removed drilling-free buffer zones, and ordered extensive tree cutting, alongside overhauling the U.S. Forest Service.