From the November 1999 issue of The Forestry Source President Clinton issued an executive order that preserves 40 million acres of roadless areas in national forests. In an address made while visiting the George Washington National Forest on October 13, President Clinton said he will put forward an initiative to preserve 40 million acres of roadless areas in national forests. Supporters say that Clinton's announcement could allow him to leave a conservation legacy perhaps unrivaled by any president since Theodore Roosevelt. Clinton disputed criticisms that his proposal would hurt the nation's forest products supply, saying it provides future generations of Americans with a treasure more valuable than timber.
National forests are more than a source of timber.
The forest protection plan would require no congressional action, relying on regulations to be issued by the USDA Forest Service after a detailed environmental review and public comment. Currently, about 60 million acres of the 192 million acres of national forest are without roads. Clinton's plan would cover 40 million acres of roadless forests comprising areas of 5,000 acres or more. In addition to the 40 million acres, Clinton asked the Forest Service to determine whether 15 million acres still being inventoried also should be protected. The new policy was not unexpected.