USDA Moves Forest Service Headquarters to Utah, Restructures Agency

Shift aims to bring leadership closer to forests and communities, boost efficiency and mission delivery.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:24pm

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service announced it will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, and begin a sweeping restructuring of the agency to move leadership closer to the forests and communities it serves. The changes include transitioning to a state-based organizational model, consolidating research operations, and closing all regional offices.

Why it matters

For an agency whose lands, partners, and operational challenges are overwhelmingly concentrated in the West, the shift represents a structural reset and a common-sense approach to improve mission delivery. The reorganization is intended to simplify the chain of command, strengthen local partnerships, and give field leaders greater ability to respond to conditions on the ground.

The details

Under the new model, 15 state directors will be distributed throughout the country to oversee Forest Service operations within one or more states. The agency will also consolidate leadership of its research enterprise and shift many functions currently housed in regional offices to a network of operational service centers. The restructuring will also drive a review and consolidation of facilities nationwide, with some key facilities retained to support ongoing mission needs.

  • The Forest Service announced the changes on April 1, 2026.
  • The agency will implement additional phases of the reorganization over the coming year.

The players

Brooke L. Rollins

Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Stephen A. Vaden

Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Tom Schultz

Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.

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What they’re saying

“President Trump has made it a priority to return common sense to the way our government works. Moving the Forest Service closer to the forests we manage is an essential action that will improve our core mission of managing our forests while saving taxpayer dollars and boosting employee recruitment.”

— Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

“This is about building a Forest Service that is nimble, efficient, effective and closer to the forests and communities it serves. Effective stewardship and active management are achieved on the ground, where forests and communities are found—not just behind a desk in the capital.”

— Tom Schultz, Chief of the U.S. Forest Service

What’s next

The Forest Service will provide employees and partners with detailed transition guidance as different milestones approach. Frontline operations, including active forest management, wildfire response, forest restoration, recreation management, and partnerships with states and communities, will continue uninterrupted during the transition.

The takeaway

This major restructuring of the U.S. Forest Service aims to bring the agency's leadership and decision-making closer to the forests and communities it serves, streamlining operations and improving mission delivery in the process.