Roadless areas in Coronado National Forest could see road building again

For people who hike, hunt, watch wildlife or simply value the undeveloped mountain ranges around Tucson, more than 350,000 acres of the Coronado National Forest could become eligible for new roads and timber harvesting under a Trump administration proposal. The change would affect roadless country in the Catalina, Rincon, Santa Rita and other Sky Island ranges, areas that currently remain largely free of motorized access and development. In Pima County alone, about 92,000 acres of roadless forest lie within those mountain ranges, according to an analysis by the Center for Biological Diversity.

The proposal would repeal the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, which restricts new road construction and most timber cutting across nearly 45 million acres of national forests and grasslands nationwide. In Arizona, the rule covers more than 1 million acres across the Coronado, Prescott, Tonto, Kaibab and Apache Sitgreaves national forests. If the repeal takes effect, management decisions would shift to the individual national forests. The Coronado manages federal lands in Pima, Pinal, Cochise, Santa Cruz and other Southern Arizona counties, as well as a portion of southwestern New Mexico.

The Agriculture Department, which oversees the Forest Service, announced its intent to rescind the rule in an August Federal Register notice and opened a three week public comment period ending Sept. 19. The administration says the regulation is outdated, overly broad and limits local officials as they respond to changing forest conditions. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has argued that removing the restriction would reduce federal barriers, support rural economies and create more flexibility for wildfire prevention and forest management. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said the rule has made road construction and active management more difficult for nearly 25 years.

Timber and mining interests support that position. The American Forest Resource Council says the rule does not address the current combination of wildfire, drought, climate change and widespread dead trees. The Arizona Mining Association likewise says local managers need more flexibility as forests face drought, insect infestations, heavy fuel loads and severe fire danger. AMIGOS, a group representing companies that provide infrastructure and services to the mining industry, says improved road access is important for expanding domestic copper and other mineral production. Its members describe those materials as necessary for national infrastructure and energy security.

For Southern Arizona, opponents say the stakes extend well beyond questions about logging or mining. The Center for Biological Diversity found that 16 roadless areas in the Coronado contain federally designated critical habitat for six threatened or endangered species. Those forests provide habitat for jaguars, ocelots, Mexican spotted owls and Chiricahua leopard frogs, among other wildlife. Taylor McKinnon, the center’s Southwest director, said roads would split intact ecosystems into smaller, more disturbed pieces. The organization compared the effect to cutting a quilt into fragments, leaving each remaining section less valuable than the whole.

The draft environmental analysis prepared by the Forest Service recognizes potential harm to soils, scenery, landslide prone areas, backcountry access and imperiled species. Nationwide, the analysis says repeal could adversely affect 327 threatened or endangered species and 71 designated critical habitats. Conservation advocates also point to the importance of roadless country for water, fish and outdoor recreation. The Wilderness Society describes Arizona’s remaining roadless landscapes as some of the state’s most recognizable places and says they protect drinking water and wildlife habitat. Trout Unlimited says roadless lands support native trout and salmon and provide important hunting and fishing opportunities.

Wildfire is likely to be the most contentious part of the debate. Supporters say new roads could help firefighters reach remote areas, allow more thinning and improve access for forest restoration. Opponents cite research finding that fires are more likely to start in forested areas with roads, while noting that about 85 percent of wildfires are caused by people. The Wilderness Society has also said that roads can increase ignition and human disturbance. At the same time, the Forest Service acknowledges a practical obstacle: even if repeal leads to additional timber revenue, that money would not cover the full cost of constructing the roads needed to reach new logging areas. The agency had about $6.9 million in deferred road maintenance as of 2024, while annual federal funding for road work declined from $234 million in 2004 to $73 million in 2024.

The proposal is part of a broader administration effort to expand development and reduce conservation restrictions on federal lands. The Interior Department has separately announced plans to repeal a 2024 Bureau of Land Management policy that placed conservation on equal footing with grazing, energy development, mining and recreation. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said that policy could block access and prevent economic activity, while conservation groups called its repeal another sign that private industry is being prioritized over public land protection. Environmental organizations and tribes are urging residents to submit comments on the roadless proposal, and legal challenges are expected if it is finalized.

The Forest Service expects to release a proposed rule and draft environmental impact statement in March 2026, followed by another public comment period. The Agriculture Department says a final decision could come late in 2026. Arizona lawmakers are seeking a more permanent safeguard. U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego, along with Rep. Yassamin Ansari, is supporting the Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2025, which would place the protections in federal law rather than leave them vulnerable to administrative repeal. Gallego has said the forests provide clean air and water, protect places of cultural and spiritual importance to tribes, and support Arizona’s tourism economy. For Tucson residents, the outcome could determine whether familiar mountain backcountry remains quiet and connected, or becomes eligible for a new network of roads and industrial access.