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Minnesota's 62K acres of forests at risk as USDA moves to end 'Roadless Rule'

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Minnesota
Published August 19, 2026 11:16 AM CDT
Published August 19, 2026 11:16 AM CDT
Walz executive order hopes to protect BWCA
Walz executive order hopes to protect BWCA

Walz executive order hopes to protect BWCA

Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order Tuesday that he says will protect Minnesota’s wilderness areas by banning new mining permits in and around the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard has the details.

The Brief

    • The U.S. Forest Service is proposing to end protections against logging and road building in national forests, which could affect 62,000 acres in Minnesota.
    • The agency describes the rule as a "one-size-fits-all restriction that has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk reduction work across large swaths of America’s national forests."
    • However, environmental groups argue that road reconstruction damages wildlife habitat, hinders wildlife movement and can potentially cause water pollution.
    • The public has until Sept. 21 to submit comments.

(FOX 9) - A new proposal could open up more than 62,000 acres of Minnesota’s national forests to logging and development under the reversal of the "Roadless Rule" that has been in effect for 25 years.

Forest Service seeks to end ‘Roadless Rule’ protections

What we know:

The U.S. Forest Service announced Tuesday it wants to rescind the "Roadless Rule," a policy from 2001 that currently blocks logging, road construction and other development on national forest lands.

Under the proposed change, permanent roads could be built across 18.2 million acres and temporary roads across another 11.3 million acres of wild forest that are currently protected.

Dig deeper:

The agency described the rule as a "one-size-fits-all restriction that has frustrated land managers and served as a barrier to wildfire risk reduction work across large swaths of America’s national forests."

"Our forests can’t afford another decade of inaction. Across the country, we’ve watched preventable conditions – overgrown stands, insect outbreaks and disease – turn healthy landscapes into tinderboxes. For too long, outdated restrictions have kept tens of millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities," United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement.

The statement also says that the proposed rule reversal "reflects the [Trump] administration’s commitment to return authority to local officers, and ensure they have the tools needed to restore forest health and productivity."

Environmental groups plan pushback

The other side:

However, environmental groups warn that removing the current protections could harm wildlife and water quality in Minnesota’s forests.

"The roadless areas of the Superior National Forest and the Chippewa National Forest are some of the last wild forests we have in Minnesota," Katelynn Rolfes, Advocate with Environment Minnesota, said in a statement following the announcement. "The 62,000 roadless acres of Minnesota’s national forests boast moose, lynx, beavers, loons and many more beloved species. We shouldn't sell off these old-growth forests. They are priceless and should remain intact for Minnesotans to enjoy for generations to come."

What's next:

The Roadless Rule was originally enacted in 2001 after 600 public meetings and 1.6 million public comments.

The public will now have until Sept. 21 to comment on the new proposal, which is set to be published by USADA officials on Thursday.

The Source: Information provided by U.S. Forest Service and Environment Minnesota press releases.

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