<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/28/endangered-species-extinction-trump-forest-protections>
"More than 400 endangered animal and plant species could face accelerated
extinction after the Donald Trump administration’s decision to rescind a rule
that has protected old-growth forests for more than two decades.
According to a new report from the Center for Biological Diversity, the
rollback of the Bill Clinton-era “roadless rule” could put 7.4m acres (3m
hectares) of endangered-species habitat and nearly 1,800 miles (2,900km) of
protected rivers and streams at risk, while opening more than 45m acres of
national forests to roads, drilling and logging.
The Trump administration moved last week to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area
Conservation Rule, citing “outdated restrictions [that] have kept tens of
millions of forested acres off-limits to the very treatments that improve
forest health and reduce wildfire risk to our communities”.
Conservationists have criticized the decision.
“Our national forests are home to some of America’s most iconic animals, from
grizzlies to hellbenders. These forests provide clean drinking water to
countless communities. Bulldozing more roads through them will mean dirtier
water, fragmented wildlife habitat and greater wildfire risk,” said Randi
Spivak, public lands policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity.
At-risk species include grizzly bears and gray wolves in the Rocky Mountains,
wild salmon in the Pacific north-west and Alaska, Mexican spotted owls and Gila
trout in the south-west, as well as rare butterflies and wildflowers
nationwide, according to the report."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
