Forest Service Chief Faces Scrutiny Amidst Trump Administration's Plan to Rescind Roadless Rule
The Trump administration has announced plans to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, commonly known as the 'roadless rule,' which has protected approximately 45 million acres of national forest for 25 years. This move is expected to benefit timber companies, particularly those with ties to Tom Schultz, the current chief of the U.S. Forest Service. Public Citizen's research indicates that Schultz, who previously served as president of the Federal Forest Resource Coalition and vice-president at Idaho Forest Group, has long been critical of the rule. The American Forest Resource Council (AFRC), a timber industry trade association, has actively advocated for the rule's rescission, arguing it hinders 'active forest management' necessary for wildfire mitigation. Since Schultz's appointment in February 2025, the AFRC has spent over $210,000 lobbying to expand harvesting in national forests. Critics, however, argue that expanding road access could increase wildfire risk and imperil 400 threatened and endan... 
