Forest Service to Shutter Dozens of Research Stations Studying Wildfire Risk

Consolidation plan threatens science on climate change, pests, and forest management

Apr. 3, 2026 at 9:05pm

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A bold, abstract painting in earthy tones featuring sweeping geometric shapes, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex scientific forces and ecological dynamics impacting America's public forests.As the U.S. Forest Service consolidates its research division, concerns grow that the loss of field stations studying wildfire risks and forest ecology will undermine science-based land management.Fort Collins Today

The U.S. Forest Service announced plans to close 57 of its 77 research facilities across 31 states, a move that will centralize the agency's research division in Fort Collins, Colorado and force many scientists to relocate or leave the agency. The closures will impact research on wildfires, drought, pests, and the effects of global warming on forests.

Why it matters

The Forest Service research stations play a critical role in studying the growing threats to America's forests, including the increasing risk of catastrophic wildfires driven by climate change. Consolidating this research threatens to undermine the scientific foundation for forest management decisions at a time when the need for this data is greater than ever.

The details

The reorganization plan will close six research facilities in California, five in Mississippi, four in Michigan, and three in Utah, among others. This includes the closure of the Pacific Northwest Research Station in Portland, Oregon, which has 246 employees, most of them scientists. Many researchers fear the changes will lead to an exodus of experienced scientists who are unwilling to relocate, and critics warn the move will create a 'divergence between sound science and land management'.

  • The Forest Service announced the reorganization plan this week.
  • The agency lost 5,860 of its 35,550 employees during the first half of 2025 due to budget cuts and early retirement programs.

The players

U.S. Forest Service

The federal agency responsible for managing 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across the United States.

Thomas M. Schultz, Jr.

The Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, who sent an email to employees announcing the research station consolidation.

Kevin Hood

The executive director of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics, a nonprofit forest protection group that criticized the proposal to consolidate research stations.

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What they’re saying

“This move will lead to an increasing divergence between sound science and land management.”

— Kevin Hood, Executive Director, Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics

“The consolidation of research stations does not mean a retreat from the agency's research mission. Forest Service R&D has produced world-class science for over a century, and that will continue. The consolidation is about organizing the research enterprise more efficiently, not diminishing it.”

— Thomas M. Schultz, Jr., Chief, U.S. Forest Service

What’s next

The Forest Service has not provided details on which specific research projects or scientists will be impacted by the consolidation, leaving many employees uncertain about the future of their work.

The takeaway

This reorganization threatens to undermine the Forest Service's ability to conduct critical research on the growing threats facing America's forests, including wildfires, drought, pests, and climate change. The loss of experienced scientists and decentralized research could have serious consequences for the long-term health and management of national forests.