The U.S. Forest Service will discontinue its nine regional offices as part of a reorganization by the Department of Agriculture, headquartered in Washington, D.C., as outlined in a memo from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.
Rollins emphasized, “President Trump was elected to make real change in Washington, and we are doing just that by moving our key services outside the beltway and into great American cities across the country,” in a statement announcing the reorganization. This restructuring aims to maintain USDA’s vital public health and safety services, ensuring transparency and common-sense processes.
The reorganization plan sparked questions among Forest Service experts, including former Chief Dale Bosworth, who served during the George W. Bush era. He expressed surprise at the decision to eliminate regional offices entirely.
The USDA, employing about 100,000 people across 29 agencies, plans to reduce its Capitol area staff from 4,600 to 2,000. Five regional hubs will assume subagency roles in Raleigh, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Fort Collins, and Salt Lake City.
The memo indicates that the nine Regional Offices will be phased out over the next year, distinct from the larger USDA regional hubs. The Department of Government Efficiency has already terminated about 3,400 Forest Service employees on probationary status or in roles deemed unaligned with the current administration’s priorities.
The Forest Service, managing 193 million acres of public land, traditionally operates through nine regions with leaders overseeing numerous forests. District rangers maintain significant local autonomy. Despite 15,365 USDA workers opting for deferred resignation, staffing goals remain unclear.
The Forest Service Fire Sciences Lab and Forest Products Lab in Missoula will remain. However, seven research stations will consolidate to Fort Collins. Concerns have been raised about disrupting collaborations with local universities. Retired University of Montana Forestry School Dean Jim Burchfield highlighted the potential loss of vital scientific collaboration and recruitment opportunities.
The USDA memo assures minimal impacts on wildland firefighting during the reorganization. Yet, field firefighters and watchdogs argue the Forest Service has lost significant firefighting personnel. Current Chief Tom Schultz acknowledged efforts to rehire about 1,400 firefighters with necessary qualifications.
Former Chief Bosworth noted, “The staffing is less now in the Forest Service than it was back in the ’60s,” underscoring concerns about handling growing recreational demand and evolving wildfire challenges.
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