For us, everything starts with water. From the clear, cold streams that flow through Montana’s mountain ranges to the backcountry headwaters that sustain trout and the people who chase them, the landscapes we depend on are directly shaped by how we choose to protect them.
That is why we are partnering with The Conservation Alliance to defend the Roadless Rule, a landmark conservation policy that safeguards more than 58 million acres of undeveloped national forest lands across the United States. These areas are the beating heart of our public lands system. They filter our water, store our snowpack, and provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife.
What the Roadless Rule Does
First enacted in 2001, the Roadless Rule limits industrial road building and large-scale development in some of the most intact forest ecosystems across the entire country, from the Tongass National Forest in Alaska to the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana. By preventing new roads from fragmenting these wild landscapes, the rule helps keep water clean, fish habitat intact, and opportunities for quiet recreation alive.
For anglers, that means protecting the very headwaters that give life to the sport. These are the cold-water refuges where native cutthroat still thrive, where wild steelhead migrate, and where the next generation of anglers can discover the same sense of awe and solitude that shaped us.
Why It Matters Now
In recent years, the Roadless Rule has faced repeated attempts at rollback. Efforts to weaken or remove protections, especially in the Tongass, the country’s largest national forest, put millions of acres of critical salmon and trout habitat at risk. With the outdoor recreation economy contributing more than 1.2 trillion dollars annually and supporting over five million American jobs, keeping these landscapes intact is not just an environmental priority; it is an economic one.
Businesses like ours and countless others in the outdoor industry rely on healthy, functioning ecosystems to thrive. The Roadless Rule is not about locking people out. It is about keeping the door open for the future of anglers, guides, and communities whose livelihoods depend on clean water and healthy fisheries.
Our Commitment
As a Bozeman-based company, we have always understood that conservation and access go hand in hand. Through our ongoing partnership with The Conservation Alliance, we continue to use our voice to advocate for policies that protect the places that make fishing possible.
Later this year, we will be donating Freestone Waders and boots to support The Conservation Alliance’s annual Give Guide, helping fund grassroots organizations that defend public lands and waters across North America.
Join the Effort
You do not have to be a policymaker to make an impact. Every purchase from conservation-minded brands, every letter sent to a decision-maker, and every day spent outside builds momentum toward a shared goal: ensuring our public lands and waters remain healthy, wild, and accessible.
Learn more about The Conservation Alliance at www.conservationalliance.com.
