Dear LFFE Families,
This note is a bit outside of what we normally message about, but we think it's important enough that we wanted to make sure you saw it and to ask for your help. You may have heard that there is an effort happening right now to eliminate the Roadless Rule. Spending time in these quiet, undeveloped forests is magical, and it's something unique to this country. These are the places that inspired LFFE, they are the places LFFE participants grow, challenge themselves, learn to thrive in difficult conditions, and the places they learn to love. Heavy machinery, new roads, and industrial-scale logging don't just threaten fisheries. They break apart the last big, unbroken stretches of national forest we have left. LFFE believes public lands are precious and should be protected so they can be enjoyed for generations. Read below about what's happening and how you can get involved.
What is the Roadless Rule?
In 2001, the federal government created a rule that protects about 58 million acres of national forest from new road building. At the time of passing there were over 1.6 million public comments, over 90% of which were in support of the rule. These "inventoried roadless areas" include some of the most remote, undeveloped backcountry in the country, over 70% of which are home to native trout and salmon. For 25 years, the Roadless Rule has protected critical wildlife habitat, kept watersheds healthy, and preserved incredible places for the public to recreate. At the time of passing there were over 1.6 million public comments, over 90% of which were in support of the rule.
What's happening now?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has proposed rescinding the Roadless Rule entirely. If that happens, roughly 45 million acres of national forest across the country could be opened to new road construction and mining.
Why this matters to you
Your kids, and hopefully you too, love fishing and spending time in these wild places. Healthy fish populations depend on healthy, intact watersheds. Roads fragment habitat, increase erosion and sedimentation in the streams we fish, and open up backcountry that has stayed wild for 25 years. Trout and other coldwater fish are especially sensitive to the sediment and runoff that comes with new road building.
What you can do
We're asking participants and their families to take five minutes to do two things before October 6, when the public comment period closes:
- Submit a public comment opposing the rescission. Trout Unlimited has made it quick and easy through this link: https://www.tu.org/roadless-areas-defending-americas-sporting-lands/#take-action or you can do it directly through the Federal Register: regulations.gov/commenton/FS-2025-0001-223869.
- Write to your U.S. Senators and Representative. A short, personal note goes a long way. Mention that your family fishes, hikes, or spends time in national forest roadless areas, and ask them to support keeping the Roadless Rule in place. Find your representative at house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative and your senators at senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.
These forests are part of what makes LFFE special. But much bigger than that, they are a national treasure worth fighting to preserve. Thank you for taking a few minutes to help protect them.
Sincerely,
Will Lillard
