By Mike Jones, West Virginia Rivers Coalition
Sacred areas in the Monongahela National Forest will lose important protection if the U.S. Department of Agriculture is permitted to gut or end the Roadless Rule.
Roadless areas in West Virginia include some of the most iconic forest landscapes in the state:
Roaring Plains, Seneca Creek, Cheat Mountain, Canaan Loop, Tea Creek, North Fork Mountain, and Hills Creek Falls. Just imagine the damage to scenery — and to watersheds, habitat, and wildlife — if uncontrolled road building is permitted in these areas.
The Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects about 44 million acres of our National Forests. The vast majority of roadless areas, locally in West Virginia and nationally, are managed for recreation: hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain biking, and dispersed camping. Removing Roadless Rule protection harms forests across America. Imagine not protecting the massive old-growth in Tongass National Forest in Alaska, Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest, or the remote ancient forest landscapes of the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire. To see all the forests that will lose these important protections, check out this MAP.
The reason for this proposed change? It is claimed that more roads will aid in fighting forest fires. This is nothing more than a pretext — science shows that most forest fires start NEAR a road. The real reason for the elimination of these protections is to make it easy for extractive industries to work in these irreplaceable areas.
Eliminating the Roadless Area Rule is now available for public comment. West Virginia Rivers Coalition is making it easy for you to let the Department of Agriculture know you want to keep the Roadless Areas. Please sign the PETITION. Your name will then be added to a Comment Letter opposing any modification or revocation to the Roadless Area Rule.
Please take action today. Comments are due September 21, 2026. Make sure your name is added to protect our Wild and Wonderful Mon Forest.
