From the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest to the misty groves of the Southern Appalachians, America’s National Forests are home to some of the most striking natural beauty on Earth. More than half of our National Forests have been destroyed by logging, mining and road building. One–third of our National Forests contains untouched but unprotected areas that provide important public values.
Recreation: National Forests provide places to hike, fish and camp for millions of Americans. In 1996 alone, Americans made 341 million recreational visits to National Forests. Ancient Forest Preservation: Only 4 percent of America's ancient forests remain standing. Two-thirds are located in our National Forests Clean Water: Streams running through National Forests provide clean drinking water to nearly 1,000 communities nationwide. Wildlife Habitat: National Forests provide homes to one-quarter of America's endangered species, including the grizzly bear, wolf and salmon.
The state PIRGs’ Campaign To Save Our Wild Forests is working to defend what leading conservationists call America’s “Heritage Forests” — unprotected wilderness areas of 1,000 acres and greater within our National Forests — from logging, mining, road building and other damaging activities.

Our wild forests, which make up nearly one-third of America's National Forests, are threatened by logging, mining, road building and other forms of development. Of the 191 million acres of National Forests in 44 states, only 18 percent - less than 35 million acres - is protected from development. Logging, mining and road building destroy forest ecosystems and threaten our communities.

Clearcutting wipes out important habitat for the wolf, salmon, grizzly bear and other species in states such as Wisconsin, Florida, Vermont and Oregon. Road building and logging cause severe erosion, choking rivers and streams and triggering deadly landslides in Washington, California and Oregon. Mining and oil drilling cause chemical and petroleum spills and toxic runoff into water supplies in Idaho, Montana and Missour

Instead of preserving our wild forests, current government policies actually encourage the destruction of our last unprotected wilderness. The Forest Service has built nearly 440,000 miles of roads - enough to circle the planet 17 times - to help logging trucks gain access to even more remote areas of our National Forests. Despite the benefit to logging companies, American taxpayers pick up the tab for these roads - at a cost of at least $200 million each year.

To secure access to these publicly-owned lands, timber, mining and oil interests have spent millions on lobbyists and contributions to Congressional candidates. Campaign contributions by the timber industry alone total more than $10 million over the last seven years.

Last winter, President Clinton announced protection of more than 58 million acres of roadless areas in our national forests. Now, the Forest Service is moving to weaken those protections and allow these wild areas to be developed. America’s last wild forests should be a refuge for hikers and anglers, habitat for grizzly bears and wolves, home to clear streams and ancient trees - not chainsaws and bulldozers. The administration should direct the Forest Service to implement a policy that Protects roadless areas from all damaging activities including logging, mining and off-road motorized vehicles; and Provides immediate and permanent protection for all roadless areas 1,000 acres or greater in all National Forests, including the Tongass National Forest in Alaska