Montana’s Forest Fight Is New Hampshire’s Warning
Roads in Montana’s Forests Lead Straight to the White Mountains
New Hampshire’s White Mountains Could be in Jeopardy
Montana’s Forest Fight Is New Hampshire’s Warning”
Roads in Montana’s Forests Lead Straight to the White Mountains
Why did a recent article about the forests in Montana scare the daylight out of me? I discovered that our administration in Washington intends to rescind the Roadless Conservation Rule, which has effectively blocked road construction on over 58 million acres of national forest land. Montana is the first target, with the federal government aiming to remove 6.4 million acres of land from these protections. They could go after the White Mountain National Forest next.
The Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins asserted that the rescinding of the Roadless Rule is critical to minimizing forest fires and insect-borne diseases and protecting wildlife. Environmentalists, including the Sierra Club, The Wilderness Society, Outdoor Alliance, and Center for Biological Diversity, are calling B.S. They assert that this is nothing less than a land grab aimed at lining the pockets of large corporate interests.
The Roadless Rule safeguarded nearly 60 million acres of national forest land from road building and logging. Forest management experts warn that undoing this rule could threaten ecosystems that have existed for centuries. It would disturb habitats for endangered species, disrupt migration routes, and possibly introduce invasive species.
Additionally, ending the Roadless Rule will accelerate climate change, as the forests act as sponges to absorb carbon dioxide. It could also impact the quality of drinking water and serve to pollute streams and rivers.
Lifting restrictions in Montana could bring some economic benefits to the state, revitalizing the commercial logging industry, and increasing access to mining for copper, gold, and other resources could be helpful to state and local tax bases.
But like New Hampshire, Montana has an enormous outdoor recreation economy that is worth 3.9 million annually, supporting over 70,000 jobs across industries (check)
The White Mountain Forest alone draws about 6 million visitors a year (UNH Extension) which is significantly more than Yellowstone National Park (National Park Services), with 4.75 million in 2024.
Outdoor pursuits include swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, skiing, and leaf peeping.
Our national forests help create seasonal jobs in lodging, restaurants, guiding, and retail outlets, with tourists and locals alike drawn to our forests, mountains, and rivers. And our towns and local government benefit from the state room and meals tax, which helps to fund a wide array of municipal projects.
What is the status of potential projects that could intrude upon the White Mountain National Forest, which is home to many well-known and hiked mountain peaks? There is a project known as the Sandwich Vegetation Management Project, which was approved by the US Forest Service in 2024.
This decision would allow commercial logging across 638 acres, and the construction of reconstruction of more than 16 miles of roads in the Sandwich Range. A group called Standing Trees, working with Vermont Law’s Environmental Advocacy Clinic, filed a lawsuit against the project in June of 2025.
The lawsuit states that the Forest Service failed to conduct an adequate environmental analysis of forest health, climate effects, and water quality.
If you’ve never visited Sandwich, New Hampshire, you are missing out on one of the most charming towns in all of the Granite State. It is a town chock full of quaint rural roads, historic homes, and excellent small eateries.
The Sandwich Range, with its mountains, forests, and streams, is at the heart of the town’s identity, drawing visitors to Mount Chocorua, Mount Tripyramid, and the Sandwich Dome. Unlike nearby Conway, the town lacks shopping malls, fast food chains, or large resorts. Instead, it features scenic dirt roads for biking, well-marked trails for hiking, and streams and ponds for cooling off during summer. Carroll County, where Sandwich is located, benefits from the rooms and meals tax collected by the town.
I am exploring putting forth legislation to protect our forest lands in New Hampshire. At this early stage, I can’t tell you what the prospects are for passing such a law, but I assure you that it will serve to let Granite Staters know what could be at stake if our forests are taken out of our hands.
I have introduced a resolution this year in the NH House, calling for the federal government not to bulldoze the White Mountain National Forest. I am hoping for bipartisan support to let Washington know that we want to keep our national forest pristine and to keep the bulldozers out.
Resources:
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/24/trump-administration-national-forests-logging