Friday, April 10, 2026

On March 31, 2026, the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) announced it will move its headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, UT, and transition to a state-based organizational model. 

The Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) has developed this webpage as a resource for ongoing information related to the Forest Service reorganization.  

“CWSF members are committed to supporting the Forest Service through this transition by building on our established partnership, strengthening state-federal coordination, and helping to bridge the interconnected pieces of our shared work across Research, State, Private, and Tribal Forestry, and National Forest System lands,” said Kelly Norris, Wyoming State Forester and CWSF Chair. 

Overview  

The March 31st announcement comes as a part of the larger USDA reorganization, which was first announced in July 2025 with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ Secretary Memorandum 1078-015 titled “Department of Agriculture Reorganization Plan.” 

The Secretary’s memo outlined the following four overarching principles: 

  • Ensure the Size of USDA's Workforce Aligns with Financial Resources and Priorities
  • Bring USDA Closer to Its Customers by Relocating Resources Outside of the National Capital Region
  • Eliminating Management Layers and Bureaucracy 
  • Consolidate Support Functions

The announcement was followed by a public comment period in August and September 2025, and a Tribal Consultation in October 2025. 

Highlights from the Forest Service reorganization include:

  • Moving its headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Transitioning from a regional office structure to a state-based organizational model with 15 State Directors that will be supported by a small team responsible for functions such as legislative affairs, communications, and intergovernmental coordination.
  • These State Director positions will be filled with career federal employees.
  • Shifting National Forest support from regional offices to operational service centers located in Albuquerque, NM; Athens, GA; Fort Collins, CO; Madison, WI; Missoula, MT; and Placerville, CA.
  • Consolidating the national network of Research Stations into one research organization headquartered in Fort Collins, CO. Nationwide research will continue through retained research facilities and through co-location where appropriate.
  • As of April 10, 2026, 20 research facilities are noted as retained, and 57 are noted on the facility closure list. Those not noted on either list are under evaluation. 

To learn more, visit the Forest Service webpage and fact sheet.

An asterisk (*) indicates a location that will serve more than one facility function (for example, a State Office combined with an Operations Service Center or technical center). For additional information, visit the Forest Service webpage. 

In addition to the reorganization announcements, in January 2026, Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz outlined eight priorities that “reflect a back-to-basics approach.” 

  • Prioritizing safety in every action we take
  • Protecting communities and natural resources from wildfire
  • Actively managing forests for health and productivity
  • Unleashing American energy and resource potential
  • Supporting disaster recovery
  • Expanding access to outdoor recreation
  • Cutting bureaucratic red tape through deregulation and organizational efficiency
  • Strengthening partnerships that deliver results on the ground

Learn more about the priorities on the Forest Service webpage.

Related Updates 

On March 25, 2026, Chief Schultz announced that the Forest Service would undertake an extensive overhaul of its Directives System, which is comprised of Forest Service Manuals and Handbooks.

On April 7, 2026, USDA Secretary Rollins announced a final rule consolidating seven agency-specific NEPA regulations into a single, department-wide framework. 

CWSF Policy Coverage

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