Forest Service Offers Up to $25,000 Buyouts as 500 Jobs Face Relocation in Reorganization
Updated
Updated · Federal News Network · Jun 2
Forest Service Offers Up to $25,000 Buyouts as 500 Jobs Face Relocation in Reorganization
3 articles · Updated · Federal News Network · Jun 2
VERA and VSIP offers have gone to Forest Service employees affected by a reorganization that will relocate about 500 positions, including roughly 260 of 350 jobs in the Washington area.
Chief Tom Schultz said the overhaul is meant to push decision-making back to local forests while helping the agency cope with a $3 billion maintenance backlog and a $37 million annual drop in facility funding.
The plan still moves headquarters to Salt Lake City, closes all nine regional offices and keeps 20 of 77 research facilities; the FY2027 budget would also eliminate about 800 of 1,110 research scientist positions.
Lawmakers and unions warn the reshuffle could deepen staffing losses after about 1,400 wildfire-qualified employees left last year, with union estimates putting the broader impact at 6,500 relocation-affected workers and 2,700 tied to research closures.
Will dismantling the Forest Service to 'fix' it actually worsen the wildfire crisis by triggering a massive brain drain?
With Congress halting the fire program merger, is the overhaul just creating two competing federal firefighting agencies?
2026 Forest Service Shakeup: Trump Administration’s Controversial Reorganization and Its Fallout
Overview
In early 2026, the Trump administration launched a sweeping overhaul of federal land management, focusing on reorganizing the U.S. Forest Service and consolidating wildland firefighting into a single agency. The plan aimed to streamline operations and redefine agency roles, with officials promising not to shrink the workforce despite thousands of recent departures. While the administration cited efficiency and better coordination as reasons, these justifications faced immediate scrutiny. The proposal quickly met strong opposition from Congress and federal employee unions, highlighting deep concerns about workforce impacts, agency mission, and the future of public land management.