“No Chain Saws in Wilderness”

THE ISSUE:  

In May, the U.S. Forest Service authorized the use of chainsaws by commercial outfitters and guides for seven months a year (January 1 to August 1) for three years on 542 miles of trail in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness on the Salmon–Challis National Forest in Idaho. The Forest Service made this decision after a year of secret, behind-closed-door negotiations with the Idaho Outfitter and Guides Association with no public comment or environmental review, and little regard for federal laws, including the Wilderness Act.

Additionally, on July 7, 2026, the U.S. Forest Service authorized the use of chainsaws by commercial outfitters and guides for seven months a year (January 1 to August 1) for three years on 542 miles of trail in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness on the Payette National Forest in Idaho. Yet again, the Forest Service made this decision after a year of secret, behind-closed-door negotiations with the Idaho Outfitter and Guides Association with no public comment or environmental review, and little regard for federal laws, including the Wilderness Act.

ESWA firmly believes these authorizations are illegal under both the 1964 Wilderness Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Not only does this move go against the mandate of the Wilderness Act prohibiting the use of motorized equipment in Wilderness, it could also set a dangerous precedent for the management of Wilderness Areas across the country

Each year ESWA’s trained sawyers clear over 1,000 trees that fall across trails in the Eagles Nest, Holy Cross, and Ptarmigan Peak Wilderness Areas using only hand saws. We have proven that motorized chain saws are NOT required to maintain Wilderness Trails.

What you can do:

• Sign and share this petition opposing the Forest Service authorizing chainsaw use by commercial outfitters and guides in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, and elsewhere across the National Wilderness Preservation System, and urging the agency to rescind the authorization.

• Watch a webinar that Wilderness Watch and our partners at Great Old Broads for Wilderness hosted about “Chainsaws and the Wilderness Act.” The webinar discusses why this Forest Service action goes beyond chainsaws and represents a significant threat to the National Wilderness Preservation System.

• Check out our detailed fact sheet and FAQ document.

• Read a letter to Forest Service Chief Tom Shultz opposing chainsaws in Wilderness by Wilderness Watch and roughly 100 conservation groups, trail groups, and agency wilderness specialists.

• Read the documents we obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request.

• Read Wilderness Watch's post, “Forest Service ignores federal laws to open River of No Return Wilderness to noisy chainsaws.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION. 

See the extensive information on this issue on Wilderness Watch’s website linked to here.