This spring, we’re coming together for one of the most important gatherings our wildlands have faced in nearly 30 years!

On Thursday, May 7, 2026, from 3-6 pm, we’ll Rally for Nature in the Santa Ana Mountain Foothills to defend the Roadless Rule—the policy that has quietly protected almost 60 million acres of our wildest national forests since 1999. With one federal decision, those safeguards could disappear.

We need you with us!

Register here: bit.ly/OCforests

What’s at Stake:  Proposed in 1999 and adopted in 2001, the Roadless Area Conservation Rule keeps remaining undeveloped national forest lands largely free of new roads and logging. It helps:

• Keep big, unbroken forests and shrublands intact for wildlife.
• Protect clean drinking water and healthy watersheds.
• Support quiet recreation—hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, birding.
• Save taxpayers billions in roadbuilding and maintenance.

The Trump Administration is pushing to rescind the Roadless Rule nationwide, reopening nearly 60 million acres of national forests—including about 4.4 million acres in California—to new roads and logging.

Here in Southern California, that includes portions of the Trabuco Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest, which straddles Orange and Riverside Counties and holds more than 150,000 acres, including about 40,000 acres of wilderness. Losing Roadless protections here means more roads, more erosion, more fragmented habitat, and more costs to maintain infrastructure in places that should stay wild.

The San Mateo Canyon Wilderness—one of the last intact coastal watersheds in Southern California—is also at risk. Its chaparral, coastal sage scrub, oak woodlands, and pristine San Mateo Creek support mountain lion, mule deer, golden eagle, arroyo toad, southern steelhead trout, California gnatcatcher, and coastal cactus wren. Keeping this area roadless is critical for wildlife connectivity, clean water that drains to the coast, and longterm ecosystem health.

Rally for Nature in the Foothills

A broad coalition of organizations is hosting a Rally for Nature on Thursday, May 7, 2026 to show our elected federal representatives that Southern California supports the Roadless Rule.

What to expect:

• Guided hikes that connect you to nature, the plants, and the animals.
• Speakers—short, dynamic talks from leaders in a variety of fields.
• Handson activities: collaborative art, postcards, video messages to decisionmakers.
• Onsite comment station where we’ll help you submit a personalized comment on the draft Environmental Impact Statement in minutes.

Event details:
What: Rally for Nature – Defend the Roadless Rule
When: Thursday, May 7, 2026 from 3-6 pm
Where: Santa Ana Mountain Foothills (Exact location provided to those who register!)

RSVP: bit.ly/OCforests

Can’t make it? You can still help!

If you can’t attend:

• Submit a written comment: https://www.roadless.org/ 
• Learn more at https://www.roadless.org/ 

Thank you for standing up for wildlife, clean water, and the wild forests that still remain.