Despite what is going on in the world, we can see sun poking through and beginning to melt the snow, we can hear the spring birds chirping, and that can only mean one thing: fishing season is not too far off.

This weekend, we would have been at the Great Alaska Sportsman’s Show in Anchorage, with updates on our work to conserve fish and wildlife habitat across Alaska. However, as you likely guessed, the Sportsman’s show was postponed, along with many of our other favorite get-togethers. 

Instead, the Trout Unlimited Alaska team decided to bring the booth straight to you in your homes. Check out this video of Eric, Kayla and Meghan giving campaign updates as if we were talking to you at the Sullivan Arena!

Taking care of the land that takes care of Southeast Alaska businesses is just common sense. More than 70 outfitters and guides, tour operators, gear manufacturers and retailers, sportsmen organizations, and conservation groups spoke up with this message today.

Trout Unlimited Alaska is very pleased to release the following letter calling on the Trump Administration and U.S. Forest Service to maintain the protections for the Tongass National Forest by maintaining the national Roadless Rule.

Fisheries, recreation and tourism account for 26% of jobs in Southeast Alaska. These signers want this number to continue to grow and recognize that healthy fisheries and intact habitat are needed to do so.

“Roadless areas offer the right combination of beautiful scenery, wild landscapes, fish and wildlife, and access that our growing tourism and recreation industry demands. The Roadless Rule’s protections for these unique values give our businesses and organizations a level of certainty upon which we base our business investments and hiring decisions,” said more than 70 businesses who signed onto the letter.

We thank these groups and organizations for speaking up for the Tongass and encourage everyone to follow their lead and submit a comment supporting continued protections on wildlife and recreation habitat before the end of day December 17th. 

Nov. 4-14: check out the list of communities where the Forest Service will be holding meetings on the Roadless Rule. We encourage you to attend and ask questions. 

The Forest Service is asking the public to weigh in on its proposal to eliminate protections for roadless areas. This is your opportunity to tell the Forest Service that you value keeping our wildlife areas, wild salmon watersheds, and our fishing and tourism economies strong. Your input matters if you live in southeast Alaska, if you visit the Tongass, or even if you merely hope to visit someday!

While we have a simple, pre-written comment available for you online, personalized comments can be more effective.

Below is an outline and key points for creating your own comment.

• “Hello, my name is ___________ and I live in ____________.” 
• “I support keeping the Roadless Rule on the Tongass.” 
• Describe where you use the Tongass and why those places are so special. 
• Explain how you use the Tongass, such as for recreational fishing, commercial use, subsistence, hunting, camping, hiking, boating, primitive recreation, semi-primitive recreation, etc. 
• Please specifically mention the need to conserve key fish-producing areas of the forest, such as the Tongass 77. For example: “Protecting key wildlife areas and salmon watersheds such as the Tongass 77 is important for our economy and way of life in Southeast Alaska.” 
• Optional: add additional specific information regarding the importance of intact fish and wildlife habitat, the impacts of logging or roads, or the importance of the Roadless Rule to show why you support protecting roadless areas on the Tongass. 

Some additional detail that may be helpful: 

The Existing Roadless Rule 

• The Roadless Rule is working. It now conserves 58 million acres of fish and wildlife habitat, recreation areas, drinking- water resources and other lakes, rivers and streams across the National Forest system, which in turn protects our salmon and our tourism and recreation economy. The Rule protects more than 9 million acres on the Tongass, preventing the expansion of clear-cut logging of old-growth timber. 
• The Roadless Rule has already been through the public process. More than 1.6 million people commented during the rulemaking process in 2001, and 95% of them supported strong protections for roadless areas. Public comments in 2018 and 2019 have also overwhelmingly supported retaining the rule in Alaska.
• The Roadless Rule struck the right balance by allowing energy, infrastructure and other development activities. All 58 applications for development activities in Tongass Roadless Areas, mainly associated with mineral exploration and hydropower development, have been granted. Approval generally takes just 1-3 weeks.