Forest Service Chief Defends West Reorganization Plans

Schultz says state-based model will improve local relationships, despite criticism of job losses and research cuts

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:28pm

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A serene painting of a lone Forest Service truck parked on a dirt road in a remote forest, the vehicle's silhouette reflected in a puddle and the surrounding trees and sky bathed in warm, golden light, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the agency's changing role.As the Forest Service undergoes a major reorganization, concerns linger about the future of public lands management and the agency's conservation mission.Salem Today

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz is defending the agency's plans to close regional offices and shift to a state-based system, despite criticism that the reorganization will gut the agency and benefit extractive industries over public lands users. Schultz says the changes are necessary to address budget shortfalls and drive decision-making closer to local forests, but acknowledges there will be big changes, including the closure of the Portland regional office.

Why it matters

The Forest Service's reorganization plans have faced backlash from lawmakers, outdoor brands, and environmental groups who fear the changes will undermine the agency's mission to manage and protect public lands. The debate highlights the ongoing tensions between conservation, recreation, and resource extraction on national forests.

The details

Under the reorganization, the Forest Service will close all of its regional offices in favor of a state-based system, with smaller state offices replacing the larger regional hubs. The agency also plans to close scores of research facilities and move its headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City. Schultz says the changes are necessary to address a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall and drive decision-making closer to local forests and communities. However, critics argue the moves will gut the agency and benefit extractive industries over public lands users.

  • Schultz was sworn in as Forest Service chief on March 10, 2025.
  • The agency announced the reorganization plans in March 2026.

The players

Tom Schultz

Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, previously served as director of the Idaho Department of Lands and vice president of Idaho Forest Group.

Ron Wyden

U.S. Senator from Oregon, criticized the agency for 'rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic' instead of focusing on wildfires.

Jeff Merkley

U.S. Senator from Oregon, said the Trump administration is 'reducing the Forest Service's stature as the world's preeminent forestry research and conservation institution.'

Randy Moore

Former chief of the U.S. Forest Service, who retired in 2025.

U.S. Forest Service

The federal agency that manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands.

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What they’re saying

“We must focus on wildfires rather than rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.”

— Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator

“The Trump administration is reducing the Forest Service's stature as the world's preeminent forestry research and conservation institution.”

— Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator

“We're shifting staff capacity out from behind desks and into the forests and districts that are desperately understaffed.”

— U.S. Forest Service

What’s next

The Forest Service plans to implement the reorganization across the coming year, with the closure of the Portland regional office and the opening of smaller state offices in Salem, Oregon and Olympia, Washington.

The takeaway

The Forest Service's reorganization plans have sparked concerns about the future of public lands management, with critics arguing the changes will undermine the agency's conservation mission. However, the agency maintains the state-based model will improve local relationships and enable more efficient use of limited resources, even as it acknowledges the significant impact on employees and research capabilities.