What could happen to America's roadless forests if the Roadless Rule ends?
Since 2001, a national rule has barred new roads and most logging in the wildest parts of our national forests. In August 2026 the Forest Service proposed rescinding it. This project uses public data to show what is at stake, region by region, and what could change over the next 5 and 10 years.
Explore the results
Start with the national totals, or open a region for the full story: where the roadless land is, which threatened species depend on it, how roads and invasive plants go together, and what-if scenarios.
United States totals
Combined results for every region analyzed so far: 5 regions, 43.08 million roadless acres, 96% of the ~44.7 million acres where the national rule applies.
Open the totals →Alaska
14.78 million roadless acres in the Tongass and Chugach, a third of the national total. Remoteness, salmon streams, old growth and logging history.
Open the study →Pacific Northwest
3.98 million roadless acres, 44% inside critical habitat. Habitat, invasive plants and 5- and 10-year scenarios.
Open the study →California
4.42 million roadless acres, 18% inside critical habitat. Habitat, invasive plants and 5- and 10-year scenarios.
Open the study →Southwest and Great Basin
9.92 million roadless acres, 9% inside critical habitat. Habitat, invasive plants and 5- and 10-year scenarios.
Open the study →Northern Rockies and Plains
9.98 million roadless acres, 10% inside critical habitat. Habitat, invasive plants and 5- and 10-year scenarios.
Open the study →More regions are being added one at a time, and the national totals update as they arrive. Colorado and Idaho are left out because each has its own state roadless rule that replaces the national one.
How to read this project
- It is a proposal. The Forest Service has proposed ending the national rule. The rule is still in effect until a final decision.
- Scenarios are what-ifs. Nobody can say how much would be built, so each region shows low, mid and high cases and labels every assumption.
- Every number is traceable. The data, code and methods are open source, so anyone can check the work or add a region.