Last June, the U.S. the Secretary of Agriculture announced that the Trump administration intends to repeal something called the “Roadless Rule”—a policy implemented in 2001, which protected some of the Forest Service’s wildest lands from logging, mining, and road-building. Author Ben Goldfarb examined the impacts of road and roadless areas in his 2023 book, Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet. We talk with Ben about why our Forest Service lands already have so many roads, and what building more would actually mean for wildlife and for people. Threshold is nonprofit, listener-supported, and independently produced. You can support Threshold by donating today. To stay connected, sign up for our newsletter.Credits: Threshold Conversations is produced by Sam Moore. Our music is by Todd Sickafoose. Amy Martin is our host and executive producer. Resources and Links: Ben’s book, “Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet” at W.W. Norton To of Ben Goldfarb’s ecological writing, go to his website, bengoldfarb.comA map of Forest Service Roadless Areas in the United StatesThe Forest Service website about Roadless Areas and the new rule40 Years a Forester by Elers Koch Mentioned in this episode:Giving TuesdayTo continue making Threshold and sharing it with audiences for free, we need to raise $75,000 by the end of the year. Thanks to your support, we are 80% of the way there! If you haven’t chipped in yet, please consider supporting our work by donating today.
Threshold is listener-funded.To keep making this work and sharing it with audiences for free, we have to raise $75,000 by the end of the year — and we’re over 80% of the way there! If you haven’t chipped in yet, consider making a gift today.

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