ROADLESS ROLLBACK PUTS GRIZZLIES AND WILD FORESTS AT RISK
Grizzly bears depend on large, unbroken landscapes to survive. But right now, the very wild places they need are under threat.
The proposed rollback of the 2001 Roadless Rule jeopardizes nearly 58 million acres of undeveloped national forests across the country, including crucial habitat in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. These roadless forests have remained intact for nearly 25 years because of protections that prevent roads from fragmenting them for logging, oil and gas drilling, and other industrial activities.
For grizzlies, more roads mean more danger. Roads do not just carve up habitat, they increase deadly encounters with people, shrink secure denning areas, and make food sources harder to reach. Fragmented habitat also puts mothers with cubs at higher risk, pushing this vulnerable species closer to the edge.
And grizzlies are not the only ones at risk. Roadless forests safeguard clean drinking water for 60 million Americans, provide world-class recreation opportunities, and protect thousands of miles of fish habitat. Rolling back protections would increase wildfire risk, destroy migration corridors for elk and deer, and drain taxpayer dollars into an already overburdened road system.
The Roadless Rule has long been one of America’s most popular conservation measures, supported by millions of people. Weakening it now would undo decades of progress, at the expense of wildlife, wild places, and future generations.
Tell the U.S. Forest Service to keep our roadless forests wild. Protect grizzlies and the landscapes they call home.
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Roadless Rule FAQ
What is the Roadless Rule?
Why is it important?
Who enforces the Roadless Rule?
Does it allow any roads at all?
Why is it in danger of being rolled back?
How do roads harm forests and wildlife?
Is the Roadless Rule popular?
JACKSON HOLE BEAR SOLUTIONS BANNERS
- As bears begin to undergo hyperphagia – a natural behavior where they increase their food intake to prepare for winter, it’s important to store trash and compost properly to avoid preventable human-bear conflict.
- When bears get into trash, they learn that scavenging in garbage is an easy way to pack on additional calories. Who doesn’t want free lunch right? Wrong! This trains them that they can continue to do this and habituates them to this behavior, which ultimately often leads to lethal removal or relocation.
- Find our banners and signage around town or in your neighborhood, snap a photo and tag us on your social media to be featured and spread the word!
JACKSON HOLE BEAR SOLUTIONS CONTINUES TO WORK ON PUBLIC EDUCATION
- We are continuously getting messaging out about making Teton County a bear safe community through radio announcements, signs around neighborhoods, trash can distribution, banners around town, and stickers on cans telling people not to overfill their cans. Both black bears and grizzly bears continue to be involved in conflicts throughout the County. We can and must do better and we will continue these efforts until we get to zero human/bear conflicts!
- Once again, a huge thank you to the National Elk Refuge for continuing our partnership to store our cans in a secure location and helping us with a forklift when we get loads delivered.
- TO DATE WE HAVE DISTRIBUTED OVER 1,350 TRASH CANS THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY!
- ALL OF THESE ACTIONS ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY YOU!
HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE MEETING PROTEST
- On Friday, September 5th, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates joined community members at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center to make our voices heard as the House Natural Resources Committee, alongside Congresswoman Harriet Hageman, held a meeting in Grand Teton National Park. The committee has supported efforts to remove Endangered Species Act protections for grizzly bears, putting the future of this iconic species at risk.
- People gathered peacefully at the designated First Amendment site to stand for continued grizzly recovery and to oppose premature delisting. Signs were created, postcards to congress were written by members of the public, and many demonstrated the deep public support for protecting grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
- We are grateful to everyone who showed up to speak on behalf of grizzlies. Your presence matters, and together we are sending a clear message: grizzly bears deserve lasting protections that ensure their survival for generations to come.
WHEN NECESSARY, WE GO TO COURT FOR BEARS
- Sometimes government agencies need to be held accountable for making political decisions instead of following their own mandates. When that happens, we are ready to be there to represent the wildlife. In 2022, we joined eight other organizations to challenge restocking grazing allotments north of Yellowstone National Park in the Paradise Valley of Montana. Restocking these allotments with cattle would have led to many more grizzly deaths in an area that should be a main corridor for connection with the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem. In March 2024, a federal magistrate judge sided with us, ordering the USFS and USFWS to re-evaluate the grazing plan to better address its effects on grizzlies.
- Your support helps us be there for wildlife when they need a good lawyer. Thank you to Earthjustice, the Western Environmental Law Center, and Eubanks and Associates for partnering with us on lawsuits.
Photo Credits:
Grizzly Bear: Allie Swafford
Jackson Hole Bear Solutions Banner: Tristen Moffett & Neil Simmons
JH Bear Solutions Photos: WWA
Protest Photo & House Natural Resources Committee Meeting: Sheena Patel
Relocated Grizzly Bear: Allie Swafford
Grizzly Bear Sow with Cubs: Sackett Wildlife Images
