U.S. Forest Service Moves Headquarters to Salt Lake City, Weighs Closing 4 Pennsylvania Offices
Updated
Updated · WHYY · May 26
U.S. Forest Service Moves Headquarters to Salt Lake City, Weighs Closing 4 Pennsylvania Offices
3 articles · Updated · WHYY · May 26
Salt Lake City is set to become the U.S. Forest Service’s new headquarters under a reorganization that could also shut regional offices nationwide, including four in Pennsylvania.
USDA says the shift will place leaders closer to Western forests and wildfire zones, support timber production and cut facility costs, while insisting research jobs and programs will continue.
8,000 East Coast oak seedlings planted from Baltimore to western Massachusetts could be harder to monitor, researchers say, if local Forest Service staff and regional knowledge are lost.
The Forest Inventory and Analysis program — a long-term national tree census already strained by 2025 budget cuts and staff losses — is a major concern for scientists and lumber companies.
Industry groups and some state officials say uncertainty over office closures and test sites could disrupt investment and research, though some timber operators expect little day-to-day impact.
The U.S. wants cheaper lumber, but is dismantling its forest science programs the right way to achieve it?
As the Forest Service moves west for wildfires, what knowledge is lost for managing America's vast eastern forests?
Forest Service Overhaul 2026: Centralization, Facility Closures, and the High Cost of Losing Local Expertise
Overview
The U.S. Forest Service is undergoing a major reorganization as of June 2026, shifting its focus from maintaining aging facilities to prioritizing research and researchers. Led by Chief Tom Schultz, the plan includes closing some facilities in disrepair to streamline operations and better support scientific work. Notably, this sweeping change was launched without Congressional review or input from the Department of Agriculture, even though federal law may require such approval. Despite these concerns, the agency intends to proceed, aiming to make its operations more efficient and research-driven.