BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — The U.S. Forest Service announced a reorganization plan on March 31, which includes closing research facilities and consolidating operations. More than 100 U.S. Forest Service facilities are being evaluated for potential closure as part of this plan.
Forest Service Chief Tom Schulz stated at an April 16 budget hearing that the agency is attempting to achieve fiscal responsibility. He proposed relocating the agency headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, Utah. Schulz also proposed closing all 10 regional offices responsible for permitting and land management.
President Donald Trump's proposed 2027 federal budget allocates no funding for Forest Service research. The agency's research budget for 2026 was $309 million. The agency indicated that employees from closing facilities would be consolidated into a location in Colorado. Chief Schulz stated, "We are prioritizing the fundamentals of managing our national forest for their intended purposes and ensuring maximum value to the American taxpayer." He added, "We've got to make sure that we live within our means."
According to the National Federation of Federal Employees labor union, 229 workers are employed at Forest Service facilities slated for evaluation. Internal agency documents show the federal government already owns most of the facilities proposed for closure. The agency pays $1 million annually in rent for a building in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Shaun Preston, Camp Small manager, stated, "When this program started, the U.S. Forest Service was right there to offer expertise to help us with research, to help develop ideas."
Deferred maintenance costs for buildings owned by the agency are approximately $3 billion. Deferred maintenance costs for the agency's roads, trails, bridges, and dams total over $8 billion.
No independent assessment was available for this report.