Forest Service Reorganization to Expand State Management Role Amid Concerns
Forest Service headquarters moving to Utah as agency plans major restructuring to rely more heavily on state partnerships for federal land management.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The U.S. Forest Service announced a major reorganization that will significantly expand states’ roles in managing millions of acres of federal land, though state officials and industry leaders say they lack details about the sweeping changes.
The plan, announced March 31, will relocate Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz and headquarters staff from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City while restructuring regional management and closing 57 research stations across dozens of states. The changes come as the Trump administration has reduced the agency’s workforce.
Industry Groups Support Partnership Model
Timber industry representatives view the restructuring as acknowledgment that increased collaboration is necessary for effective forest management. “The Forest Service itself is unable to uphold its mission and cannot alone manage the many challenges on these landscapes,” said Nick Smith, public affairs director with the American Forest Resource Council.
“The transition from regional offices to more state-level offices is a recognition that partnerships are the future for the Forest Service,” Smith added.
Veterans Raise Implementation Concerns
Forestry veterans worry the reorganization will trigger additional departures from an agency already diminished by federal workforce cuts. Some observers view relocating headquarters to Utah — a state whose leaders frequently oppose federal land ownership — as deliberately undermining the Forest Service’s land management authority.
The closure of research stations particularly concerns agency partners who depend on Forest Service science for wildfire behavior studies, timber production research, and other critical forestry issues.
Legal experts note the agency must obtain congressional approval for office relocations, potentially opening the plan to legal challenges if lawmakers don’t provide authorization.
Fire Season Timing Raises Stakes
The uncertainty surrounding the agency’s future has forestry professionals worried about operational disruptions as the West approaches fire season during a period of record temperatures and drought conditions.
State officials and timber industry leaders report receiving minimal information about implementation details, leaving them to prepare for expanded responsibilities under the new partnership model while fundamental questions about the reorganization remain unanswered.
The Forest Service manages 193 million acres of public land across 44 states and Puerto Rico, making the reorganization’s success essential for wildfire prevention, timber harvesting, and recreational access nationwide.
