National Roadless Rule Rescission

The Roadless Rule is back in the spotlight. The USDA has proposed rescinding the 2001 federal Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which currently provides management direction for millions of acres of national forest lands across the country. As this proposal moves through the public process, sportsmen and women should be paying attention. Roadless areas provide important habitat for wildlife, opportunities for hunting and fishing, and some of the backcountry experiences that make public lands special. Our voices belong in the conversation about how these lands are managed and what the future of them looks like.

For Idaho, though, the story is a little different. Idaho has its own state-specific Roadless Rule, finalized in 2008 after years of collaboration and public input. The rule provides management direction for approximately 9.3 million acres of Idaho's roadless areas and was specifically designed to address Idaho's unique landscapes, management needs, and local concerns. That means the current federal proposal does not erase Idaho's Roadless Rule, but it does make understanding the history and importance of Idaho's approach even more relevant.

We published a blog last year to explain what makes Idaho's Roadless Rule different and why that distinction matters. With the national conversation happening again, we're revisiting it as a reminder that Idaho has a history of finding its own path through complicated public-land issues. Sportsmen, local communities, and other Idahoans have a stake in these lands, and meaningful input from the people who live, work, hunt, fish, and recreate here should remain part of the process. We encourage you to submit a comment during the public comment period on the national roadless rule rescission. It is open until September 21, 2026.

Read the USDA Announcement - USDA acts to remove roadless rule restrictions that exacerbate rising wildfire risk

Forest Service Announcement - Roadless Areas