Protection needed for roadless forests

The recent decision by the Obama administration and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack was a welcome first step toward restoring the popular Roadless Area Conservation Rule by setting a moratorium on development projects in the public’s roadless national forests.
Here on the Olympic Peninsula, Clallam County in particular is blessed with more than 22,000 acres of inventoried roadless areas on national forest lands. Many of these are within an hour’s drive from Sequim including the Quilcene, McDonald, Mount Zion, Mount Baldy, Madison Creek and Rugged Ridge Roadless Areas.
These unroaded landscapes perhaps are better known by the trails that access them, including the Dungeness River trail, Grey Wolf River trail, Deer Ridge Trail, Gold Creek trail, Mount Zion trail and the trails leading to Mount Townsend.
These special places not only provide local residents with clean drinking water; they offer world-class recreation opportunities that are key to our economy. They also are critical to the unique quality of life that we
enjoy here in the shadow of the Olympic Mountains. 

Roadless Rule history
In 2001, the progressive Roadless Rule was created after undergoing the most extensive analysis and public comment period in history. It was a historic initiative to protect much of the nation’s wild roadless lands and the American public was clear on its desire for protections. More than 95 percent of the 4 million comments supported the strongest protections.
These roadless areas are roadless for good reason: They are in steep and generally difficult places to build and maintain roads.
With a $10 billion-backlog on maintaining the existing 400,000 miles of Forest Service roads, it simply does not make economic sense to allow new roads in the few wild areas of our national forests that do not have any.

Watershed benefits
These wild forests help recharge aquifers and often are in the headwaters of municipal watersheds, providing the cleanest water and resulting in lower water treatment costs for local residents. About 18 percent of our nation’s water supply comes from national forest land, with roadless areas producing the purest of that water.
Providing a portion of Sequim’s water supply is the Dungeness River, which flows out of the Buckhorn Wilderness into one such roadless area, the Quilcene. The Quilcene holds important low-elevation, riparian forests that are key resources to maintain and improve the health of the Dungeness River, providing clean water to many local residences.
Securing the health of our rivers and forests also provides critical habitat and a migration corridor for many types of fish and wildlife. The low-elevation forests of the Quilcene are a key to the restoration of the many species of salmon that find a home in the Dungeness River and its tributaries. Also, the forests reduce the chance of flooding by slowing down the river and providing side channels for overflow.

Recreation bounty
In addition to offering critical habitat and water resources, millions of outdoor enthusiasts across Washington and the nation utilize our forests by bicycling, camping, fishing, hunting, paddling, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, wildlife viewing, trail-running, hiking and climbing.
These activities contribute more than 85 percent of the revenue generated from national forests, and in Washington add $11.7 billion to the state economy and provide more than 100,000 jobs.
The Dungeness River Valley and areas like Dirty Face Ridge leading up to Mount Townsend are a few of the treasured destinations that bring in valuable tourist dollars from the many active outdoor recreation participants who enjoy these majestic wild forests.
Ensuring our roadless forests are protected is essential to the health of our communities. The first step has been taken but I encourage the Obama administration to follow through and uphold the Roadless Rule, guaranteeing that we and our future generations can gain the most benefit from our forests.

Steve Tharinger is the Clallam County commissioner for District 1 which includes Sequim and the Dungeness Valley. He has been a resident of Clallam County for more than 30 years.