Forest Service to Move HQ, Close Regional Offices
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- U.S. Forest Service announced on March 31 that it will move its headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, Utah, close or repurpose all nine regional offices, create 15 state offices, and shutter research and development facilities in more than 30 states.
- Public comments: More than 80% of the 14,000 public comments submitted during the summer hearing were negative, with tribal representatives, conservation groups, and former Forest Service staff opposing the plan.
- Robert Bonnie: Former USDA undersecretary who oversaw the Forest Service during the Obama administration said “Nobody is asking for this” and warned the move would weaken the agency rather than strengthen it.
- Eric Forsman: Retired Forest Service wildlife biologist said closing research stations such as the Portland, Oregon facility would not improve research quality despite potential budget savings.
- Kevin Hood: Executive director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics warned that the new state‑office structure could shift management of national forests to states.
- Tribal representatives: In public comments they warned that mass staff relocations would destroy irreplaceable knowledge about treaty rights, forest conditions, and long‑standing relationships.
- Bureau of Land Management: The article notes a similar Trump‑era relocation to Grand Junction, Colorado, which led most staff to leave the agency and cost taxpayers $28 million, suggesting a parallel risk for the Forest Service.
Why it matters: The plan threatens to weaken the Forest Service by uprooting thousands of employees, cutting research capacity, and shifting management to states, compromising ecological stewardship, public access, and tribal treaty rights while saving some budget dollars and risking loss of institutional knowledge.
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