The U.S. Forest Service is closing 23 of its research stations located in more than a dozen states as part of an organizational overhaul initiated under President Donald Trump. This consolidation is intended to reduce costs and concentrate the agency’s resources, particularly in Western states, according to officials.
Work conducted at the affected research stations will be transferred to other existing sites, Forest Service Associate Chief Chris French stated in an interview. Forty-one additional research facilities that were initially considered for closure will remain open following concerns raised by local officials and members of Congress.
"Our primary goal was to get our facilities costs under control," French told The Associated Press. "We’re not closing any ongoing science activities. We’re not closing any of the experimental forests that are important to our researchers."
Approximately 95 employees working at the stations slated for closure will be relocated to other Forest Service locations, according to Communications Director Chad Douglas. These closures, combined with previously announced plans to shut down regional offices in Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Portland, are projected to save the agency around $16 million.
The reorganization also includes plans to relocate the agency’s headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has indicated that this move, anticipated to be completed by the summer of next year, will position agency leaders closer to the landscapes they manage and the communities that rely on them.
Conservation groups have expressed criticism of these changes, voicing concerns that the reorganization could limit access to forests and potentially harm wildlife habitats, as well as impact air and water quality. Federal data indicates that the Forest Service has seen a reduction of approximately 6,000 employees, about 15% of its workforce, during the Trump administration as part of broader efforts to cut agencies responsible for the nation's natural resources. This follows a similar move during Trump's first term when the Bureau of Land Management's headquarters were moved to Colorado with stated goals of bringing officials closer to public lands.