The Trump Administration is looking to roll back a policy that could impact 16-million acres of forest land in Michigan.
The "roadless rule" was established during the Clinton administration and protects tens-of-millions of acres of public forest land.
The policy has blocked mining and logging operations from harming old-growth forests.
In a statement about the proposed rollbacks, the United State Department of Agriculture said repealing the rule will lower wildfire risks and promote forest health.
“For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a statement.
They added that the rule change would not "mandate timber cutting or road construction."
Conservationists like Andy Olsen, a former policy advocate with the Environmental Law and Policy Center, disagree with the USDA’s claims.
Ending the roadless rule would lead to more wildfires, according to Olsen.
“When you walk through the national forest, you'll notice that a road is a long clear cut and they just clear cut all the trees,” Olsen said. “That allows more sun to get in. It dries out the litter on the floor. It increases wildfire risk.”
Emma Shedd from the Sierra Club Michigan Chapter also said introducing roads and people into these areas would increase risk for wildfires. Plus, she said the roadless rule does have exceptions for wildfire risk mitigation.
She added that "introducing roads and really people into these areas, it generally is an increase in wildfire risk."
Large, protected forests are also essential for protecting wildlife populations, according to Shedd.
“A lot of wildlife that we hold very near and dear, our bears, wolves, moose, martens, all those need these large, protected forests,” said Shedd.
Beyond the concerns over wildfires and animals, Richard Bidsey, a senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Massachusetts argues that keeping roadless rule will protect trees that store carbon.
He says older trees are "great bastions of carbon stock," and that keeping them protected would "reduce the impacts of climate change.”
Logging industry groups support the move; the American Forest Resource Council is a logging trade group based in the northwest United States.
Their president Travis Jospeh said in a statement that the repeal would give "local forest professionals greater flexibility to use science and their expertise."
Although the repeal could subject those forests to logging, Justin Knepper, the executive director of the Michigan Association of Timbermen, said much of Michigan's protected federal forests are not profitable.
“No matter how great the wood is out in these remote areas, it's financially infeasible to get to it,” Knepper said. “Just to build the road to get there is hugely expensive.”
Still, conservationists are worried about millions of acres of forests around the country.
The public is able to comment on the proposed rollbacks to the roadless rule until September 21, 2026.
