Trump administration moves to end protections for nearly 45 million acres of national forests

Published August 18, 2026 3:07pm ET | Updated August 18, 2026 3:07pm ET



The Trump administration has proposed ending decades-old protections for nearly 45 million acres of wilderness in national forests, paving the way for logging and road building on the land.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced on Tuesday that the U.S. Forest Service has filed a proposed rule to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, arguing it is a “one-size-fits-all restriction” that has limited wildfire risk-reduction work.  

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