Safeguarding the Roadless Rules saves the Tongass Forest

A photo of the Tongass National Forest published on Feb. 18, 2026, by the U.S. Forest Service in an announcement of a 30-day comment period for plans to revise the management plan for the forest. (U.S. Forest Service photo)

By Joel Jackson

For generations, the Organized Village of Kake and other Southeast Alaska tribes have been stewards of the Tongass National Forest, the largest temperate rainforest in the world. This is not just land; the forest is our heritage and way of life for generations. Its salmon spawning streams and animals that reside in this forest sustain our people. The forest’s old-growth trees store more carbon than they release, making the Tongass the nation’s greatest natural climate defense. It is our sacred home.

Yet, this irreplaceable ecosystem faces a threat. The Trump administration is attempting to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a policy that for over 25 years has safeguarded nearly 58 million acres of national forests. The administration is proposing to strip protections from 44.7 million acres of ancestral homelands, including the Tongass National Forest. This is not just a bad policy; it is a direct violation of tribal treaty rights, trust, and federal law.

The Roadless Rule is simple and effective. It prevents destructive road-building and industrial-scale logging in remote forest areas while preserving access for recreation, subsistence, and cultural practices. It is a symbol of American conservation, and repealing this critical policy would cause irreversible damage by destroying ecosystems, fragmenting habitats, increasing the risk of wildfires, and accelerating climate change. New roads and logging operations will severely harm our ecosystem by damaging streams and habitats that we depend on for fishing and hunting. Furthermore, it will destroy the Tongass’ natural beauty that people from all over the world come to visit.

That is why the Southeast tribes, alongside the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI), the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT), and the Rocky Mountains Tribal Leaders Council, have all united in unprecedented solidarity.

Last year, during NCAI’s 82nd Annual Convention, Tribal leaders adopted Resolution #SEA-25-102, demanding an immediate halt to the rescission process, a 90-day extension of the scoping period, and a 120-day consultation period as required by the Forest Service’s own action plan. Together, we are sending a clear message: decisions about our forests must include us—not after the fact, but from the start.

This fight is about more than trees. It is about sovereignty. It is about honoring treaties and reaffirming trust. It is about protecting cultural resources, safeguarding heritage sites, and maintaining the climate stability that benefits every American and the world. The Tongass is not just Alaska’s forest; it is the lungs of our planet — the world’s largest carbon sink, absorbing more carbon dioxide than it emits. Destroying it would undermine global efforts to combat climate change.

We are not asking for special treatment. We are demanding compliance with the law and respect for our rights. We are calling for a future where tribal governments are treated as cooperating agencies in environmental reviews, where co-management of key forest areas is possible, and where federal decisions fully account for impacts on our peoples, lands, waters, and communities.

The Roadless Rule has worked for 25 years, balancing conservation with access, protecting ecosystems while supporting rural economies. It has underpinned a thriving recreational economy that everyone can enjoy. Repealing this policy would be a reckless step backward. The administration must halt this process and immediately engage in real tribal consultation — not as a courtesy, but as a legal and moral obligation.

The Tongass is our home. It is our heritage and protecting these forests honors our ancestors. It is our duty to protect these sacred lands so that future generations can enjoy them. We will not stand by while its protections are stripped and dismantled. The future of our forests and the future of our planet must be decided with tribal voices at the table.

• Joel Jackson is the president of the Organized Village of Kake.