Proposal to Undo Roadless Rule Would Open Some of Southern California’s Last Wild Forests to Development

To see what Southern California looked like before millions of homes sprawled through the region, head to Cleveland National Forest. Nestled between Los Angeles and San Diego, the forest’s three districts are a refuge for the region’s wildlife and locals looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the state’s two biggest cities.

From above, a sea of homes surrounds the Santa Ana mountains—famous for the intense winds they generate—but the national forest forms a clear band of undeveloped wildlands connecting the southernmost peaks of the state’s Coast Ranges to the northern Mojave Desert.

But a nearly 25-year-old federal rule protecting the area, along with portions of many other national forests across the country, may soon be rescinded, paving the way for more development and increasing