Forest Chief directs leadership to uphold roadless values

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Chief Dale Bosworth today directed agency managers to move forward to protect roadless values in national forests and grasslands in a manner consistent with USDA policies. The guidance, issued in a letter to regional foresters, reserves to the Chief authority for all decisions about timber harvest and road construction in inventoried roadless areas – with exceptions similar to the Jan. 12, 2001 rule published in the Federal Register.

A recent court decision (Idaho v. Dombeck) temporarily enjoined the Forest Service from implementing the roadless area conservation rule of Jan. 12. The Chief’s action provides immediate protections in designated roadless areas until long-term protections are in place under the forest planning process.