Protect dark skies: Take action to preserve the Roadless Rule

For 25 years, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule has helped protect 44.7 million acres of National Forest land, including some of America’s darkest remaining night skies. The U.S. Forest Service is now proposing to rescind the rule.

Here are two ways you can take action.

1. Add your name is support of DarkSky’s opposition

DarkSky is calling on the U.S. Forest Service, Department of Agriculture, and federal agency leaders to retain the Roadless Rule and protect the natural darkness these landscapes preserve.

Our analysis found that 45% of lands protected under the Roadless Rule retain pristine natural darkness, nearly twice the share found nationwide (24%). By limiting road construction and the infrastructure that follows, the rule has helped keep these landscapes dark.

Once roads and associated development enter a naturally dark landscape, their impacts can extend well beyond their immediate footprint. Protecting these areas now helps preserve darkness for wildlife, ecosystems, stargazing, recreation, and communities that benefit from naturally dark places.

Anyone, anywhere in the world, can add their name in support of our opposition to rescinding the Roadless Rule.

2. Submit your own substantive public comment

You can take an additional step by submitting your own comment directly to the U.S. Forest Service.

A substantive comment goes beyond simply stating whether you support or oppose a proposal. It identifies a specific concern with the proposal or its environmental analysis, explains why that issue matters, and asks the agency to address it.

Your comment does not need to be long or technical. Your own experiences and words matter. Use the resources below to help craft your personalized remarks.

How to write a substantive comment

Start with your connection

Introduce yourself and explain why this issue matters to you. Do you visit National Forests? Stargaze, camp, hike, hunt, photograph wildlife, or spend time outdoors after dark? Do you live in a community near a roadless area?

If there is a particular forest or landscape you care about, name it.

Explain your concern about natural darkness

Describe why protecting naturally dark nighttime environments should be considered as the Forest Service evaluates the proposal.

You might explain that roadless areas contain a disproportionately large share of America’s remaining natural darkness, or discuss the importance of darkness for wildlife, recreation, astronomy, cultural connections to the night, or your own experience of these landscapes.

Identify what you want the Forest Service to address

This is where you can make your comment more substantive.

Ask the Forest Service to consider how future road construction and associated infrastructure could introduce new sources of artificial light into currently dark landscapes. This includes not only lighting directly along roads, but lighting associated with facilities, work areas, vehicles, and future development.

You can also ask the agency to evaluate skyglow beyond the immediate development footprint and consider the cumulative effects of introducing artificial light into landscapes that currently experience little or none.

Make a clear request

End by clearly telling the Forest Service what action you want it to take.

You can ask the agency to retain the Roadless Area Conservation Rule and ensure that natural darkness and nighttime ecology are fully considered in its decision-making.

DarkSky talking points for your comment

Use these to help build your comment, but put them into your own words and connect them to your own experiences whenever possible.

• Roadless areas contain an outsized share of America’s remaining natural darkness. DarkSky’s analysis found that 45% of roadless land retains an essentially natural night sky, nearly twice the national rate of 24%.

• Roadlessness helps protect darkness. Areas without extensive road networks and associated infrastructure have fewer sources of artificial light, helping maintain naturally dark nighttime conditions.

• Artificial light can extend beyond its source. Skyglow can affect nighttime environments beyond the immediate footprint of roads, facilities, and other development.

• Darkness is habitat. Natural cycles of light and dark are part of the environment on which nocturnal wildlife, migrating birds, insects, and other species depend.

• Darkness is also an increasingly rare human experience. Roadless landscapes provide opportunities to experience naturally star-filled skies away from the artificial glow of developed areas.

• Naturally dark areas should remain dark. DarkSky believes protecting existing natural darkness should be considered before new infrastructure introduces artificial light into these landscapes.

By signing DarkSky’s open letter and submitting your own comment, you can help ensure that natural darkness is part of the conversation about the future of America’s roadless lands. Thank you for doing your part to protect the night