Roadless Rule Good for Oregon's Economy

A much awaited court decision provides certainty for roadless area protections, outdoor recreation industry.

Like many native Oregonians and those drawn here from other places, I can conjure in my mind the diverse landscapes that make our state so special. They have provided the medium for some of my most cherished experiences.

I grew up fishing the clear waters of the Metolius, surrounded by the glowing orange bark and thick green-needled limbs of Ponderosa Pines. My parents took me on annual adventures in the Three Sisters, and I now do the same with my two kids. I've rafted down the Rogue River, climbed the volcanic tuff faces at Smith Rock, and biked through the lava flows and forests on both sides of the McKenzie Pass.

These are experiences in places that define Oregon. Places that provide clean drinking water, habitat for abundant wildlife, and healthy lifestyles. They are also the places that fuel an increasingly strong recreation economy. But only if we protect them.

That's why days ago I celebrated a court ruling that re-confirmed protections for roadless backcountry areas across the nation. The much-anticipated ruling from the 10th Circuit ended a decade of uncertainty surrounding protections for the best of our remaining roadless forests and the rule that protects them.

The Roadless Rule came out of the most extensive public process in federal rulemaking history and provides common-sense protections for nearly two million acres of roadless wildlands in Oregon. More than 90 percent of Oregonians supported the rule and the protections it provided for their favorite outdoor getaways.

As rural communities transition from a dependence on extractive boom and bust industries that left them reeling, outdoor recreation continues to provide needed jobs and economic diversity. Recreation in our National Forests alone supports 223,000 rural jobs around the country. The Outdoor Industry Association estimates that outdoor recreation pumps $5.8 billion annually into Oregon's economy and supports 73,000 jobs.

By protecting roadless forests and maintaining current levels of public access, the Roadless Rule keeps Oregon's outdoor economy growing.

Conservation of our forests, rivers, and wildlife has been a major factor in the growth of Oregon's outdoor recreation industry. Protected wild places help iconic Oregon businesses like KEEN, Columbia Sportswear, and Ruff Wear. People don't buy hiking boots or jackets (for themselves or their dogs) to go hike the clear cuts.

With literally hundreds of thousands of miles of roads already crisscrossing our National Forests – many of them in disrepair and fouling streams – the last thing we need are more roads to nowhere. Or worse yet, roads to the newest clear-cut or mining pit.

The court ruling that clarified protections for some of our last, best wild places does more than ensure our favorite spots to hike, camp, and bike aren't marred by unwise development. It shores up a critical industry at a time of great uncertainty. Some extremists in Congress believe that to create jobs we have to cut down every tree, destroy our rivers, and mine every acre.

Thankfully, in Oregon, economic and environmental sustainability go hand in hand.

As the Obama Administration tries to show voters it is serious about its commitment to protect the environment, ensure a livable future for our children, and create jobs, it's important that they unambiguously embrace the Roadless Rule.

John Sterling is Executive Director of the Outdoor Industry Conservation Alliance, based in Bend. The Alliance is a group of 185 outdoor industry companies that work together to support conservation efforts throughout North America.

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Click here to learn more about Oregon's roadless wildlands.