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Forest Service Roadless Rule Reaches Its 20th Birthday

The Tongass National Forest in Alaska.
USDA Forest Service
The Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

Making sweeping decisions about forest management are always controversial, that's a given. But for almost exactly 20 years now, the Roadless Rule of the U.S. Forest Service has stood up, prohibiting logging, roadbuilding, and other activities on 58 million acres of federal land.

The Trump administration made changes, removing Roadless Rule protections from a major chunk of Alaska's celebrated Tongass National forest. Jim Furnish has a bone to pick with the ruling, along with many other people.

Furnish worked for the USDA Forest Service for 34 years, including a stint running the Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon. He was involved in crafting the Roadless Rule, and joins us with some thoughts on its use and the efforts to curtail it.

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The Jefferson Exchange is Jefferson Public Radio's daily news program focused on issues, people and events across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Natalie Golay is the program's senior producer, Charlie Zimmermann is the assistant producer, and Mike Green hosts the show.