KS Wild

09/04/2026

The Trump administration wants to rescind the Roadless Rule, arguing that doing so will help fight wildfires. Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR-06) explains why that argument doesn’t hold up and why opening more of these forests to roads could actually increase wildfire risk.

Now we have a chance to speak up.

When the original Roadless Rule was developed, Americans submitted a staggering 1.6 MILLION public comments. More than 600 public meetings were held across the country.

We need that kind of response again.

The Forest Service is accepting public comments on its proposal to rescind the Roadless Rule through SEPTEMBER 21.

Go to Regulations.gov, search for “Roadless Rule,” open the USDA Forest Service proposal, and submit a comment telling them to KEEP the Roadless Rule.

Public comments matter. Make yours part of the official record.

09/04/2026

Thank you Congresswoman Andrea Salinas for helping to lead the charge of 164 members of Congress for the bipartisan support of the Roadless Rule!

Rescinding the Roadless Rule to facilitate more logging and development on our public lands will be devastating to our ecosystems, wildlife connectivity, watershed values, and forest health.

We are grateful to see so many members of Congress step up in support of the Roadless Rule and the many ecological and economic benefits it has offered for over 20 years.

Protect the Roadless Rule!

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06), alongside Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03) and Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Reuben Gallego (D-AZ) led a bipartisan coalition of 164 Members of Congress in urging the Trump Administration to abandon its proposal to rescind t...

09/03/2026

Covering over 45 million acres of public lands nationwide and over 1 million here in the Klamath-Siskiyou region, some of your favorite hikes could very well be within an Inventoried Roadless Area protected under the Roadless Rule. Our friends at Oregon Wild have a great interactive map on their website that you can play with to inspire your next hike onto your public lands. Check it out below!

Don't forget that the comment period to support the defense of the Roadless Rule and the millions of acres of public lands that it protects closes on September 21st. Submit your comment here:

https://www.kswild.org/action-alerts/roadless-petition-2026

iFrames are not supported on this page. Blue = USFS Inventoried Roadless AreasDarker Green = Protected WildernessFull size interactive map here.

09/03/2026

KS Wild and Peace House Ashland Oregon invite you to join us and local filmmakers for a special memorial event celebrating the remarkable life of Dot-Fisher Smith.

Dot was a beloved community member, activist, and peacekeeper. The evening's tribute event will feature stories, footage, and reflections on Dot's remarkable life and activism. We'll screen the newly released film "The Outcast at Sanger Lake," which chronicles her extraordinary commitment to nonviolence following a harrowing near-death experience.

Filmmakers will join us for a Q&A following the screening. Admission is $15, or pay what you can. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.kswild.org/upcoming-events/dot-tribute

Dot died on January 29, 2026, at the age of 97 at her home in Ashland. This special event celebrates her enduring legacy of peace, courage, and community action. We hope you will join us!

09/01/2026

In October 2023, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced its proposal to list both the northwestern and southwestern pond turtles as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. The agency had one year to finalize the listing. It's now 2026, and the final listing is almost two years past due.

Northwestern pond turtles are the only freshwater turtle native to the Klamath-Siskiyou region. They are threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation from activities like logging and road building, climate change effects such as drought, and nonnative invasive species like bullfrogs and snapping turtles.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has acknowledged these threats...now it's time the agency steps up and finalizes the proposed listing.

That's why the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Columbia Gorge, and KS Wild have submitted a notice of intent to sue the agency for failing to meet its deadline to finalize ESA protections for the turtle.

Stay tuned for more to come...

08/28/2026

Your chance to win a guided whitewater adventure down the new Klamath River at our 2026 KS Wild Annual Dinner next month!

On Saturday, September 26th, we'll be hosting our annual Dinner fundraiser and celebration where we'll have a live and silent auction full of some pretty sweet prizes like this one.

Thanks to Momentum River Expeditions - Northern California & Oregon Rafting for their generously-donated whitewater trip for 2 through Kikacéki Canyon on the Klamath River! 💦

Tickets for the dinner can be purchased at www.kswild.org/annual-dinner-2026

08/27/2026

The Jefferson Exchange has re-aired last year's segment interviewing Congresswoman Andrea Salinas and our Communications Manager, Haleigh, on the ins and outs of the Roadless Rule.

Give it a listen below, then take a moment to:

Sign KS Wild's petition here: https://secure.everyaction.com/J2eNwtoAIEu3RXk75kY4DQ2

and submit your comment to the US Forest Service in support of the Roadless Rule here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FS-2025-0001-223869

The Roadless Rule was one of the most popular conservation rules of our nation's history at the turn of the century, and it still stands strong with public support and as a successful defense against development of our pristine public lands. The comment period is open until 9/21.

A new USDA proposal to repeal the Roadless Rule revives debate in Oregon over wildfire management, logging and protections for national forests.

08/27/2026

Did you know you we have easy access to Inventoried Roadless Areas right here in southern Oregon? Join us for a hike next Friday to explore the McDonald Peak Roadless Area right in our backyards on the Siskiyou Crest!

The hike will be a moderate 6 miles where we'll soak in the sweeping, roadless views and discuss what's at stake with the USFS's current Roadless Rule rollback attempt.

Space is limited, so RSVP today: www.kswild.org/upcoming-events/mcdonald-ira-hike

08/27/2026

ACTION NEEDED: The time has come.

The USFS has released their plan to rescind the Roadless Rule, and we are standing up to DEFEND this bedrock protection for our roadless wildlands!

Try as they might to silence the public, we will try harder to be loud and clear: Our roadless public lands are beyond valuable, and they deserve protections! Our drinking water, wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities, and national heritage rely on their existence through the Roadless Rule's protections.

TAKE ACTION with us today by signing our petition and be included in KS Wild's organizational comments to the USFS. Click the link below to sign your name today. ⬇️