Trump Plans to Rescind Roadless Area Conservation Rule

Donald Trump announced plans to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a policy that has protected approximately 45 million acres of U.S. national forest from road construction, drilling, and logging for 25 years.

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz is leading the proposal. A former timber industry executive and lobbyist, Schultz argues that repealing the rule is necessary for active forest management to restore forest health and reduce wildfire risks. Since taking office in February 2025, Schultz has already increased timber sales, signed an agreement to double federal timber sales in Idaho, and relocated the Forest Service headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City.

Critics, including the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, argue the move primarily benefits logging companies and threatens ecosystems and 400 endangered species. The American Forest Resource Council and Idaho Forest Group, LLC have previously lobbied the federal government to rescind the rule to advance forest management goals.