Deep in the Backcountry: What the Federal 'Roadless Rule' Rollback Means for WNC
By Marge Farrington | Published 2026-05-16T18:14:54.541Z
News
WNC -- May 16, 2026: A sweeping federal push to dismantle a 25-year-old public lands policy has landed on the doorstep of Western North Carolina, sparking intense regional debate and triggering a fast-tracked timeline that could alter the future of the region’s most pristine backcountry areas.
WNC -- May 16, 2026: A sweeping federal push to dismantle a 25-year-old public lands policy has landed on the doorstep of Western North Carolina, sparking intense regional debate and triggering a fast-tracked timeline that could alter the future of the region’s most pristine backcountry areas.The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is moving swiftly through a formal administrative process to completely rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Driven by Executive Orders prioritizing th