US Forest Service to Relocate Headquarters to Utah

The agency will move from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City by 2027 as part of a broader restructuring.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 12:48am

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The U.S. Forest Service is relocating its headquarters from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, Utah by 2027 as part of a broader strategy to place the agency closer to the Western states that comprise the majority of the 193-million-acre forest system, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced.

Why it matters

The move is intended to improve the Forest Service's mission of managing its forests, save taxpayer money, and boost employee recruitment by placing leadership closer to the lands, communities, and challenges they oversee. However, the Sierra Club has expressed skepticism about the relocation, arguing it could undermine public engagement and land protections.

The details

About 260 headquarters positions will relocate to Utah, while 130 will remain in Washington. The Forest Service will also establish 15 state directors to oversee operations, form operational service centers in several Western states, and consolidate research facilities under a central organization in Fort Collins, Colorado.

  • The Forest Service's relocation to Salt Lake City will be complete by summer 2027.
  • The move comes after the 2019 relocation of the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Grand Junction, Colorado during the Trump administration.

The players

Brooke Rollins

The U.S. Agriculture Secretary who announced the Forest Service's relocation.

Spencer Cox

The Republican Governor of Utah who praised the Forest Service move as a "big win" for Utah and the West.

Alex Craven

The forest campaign manager for the Sierra Club, the nation's oldest conservation organization, who expressed skepticism about the relocation.

Tom Schultz

The Chief of the U.S. Forest Service.

Stephen Vaden

The USDA Deputy Secretary.

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What they’re saying

“Establishing a western headquarters in Salt Lake City and streamlining how the Forest Service is organized will position the Chief and operation leaders closer to the landscapes we manage and the people who depend on them.”

— Brooke Rollins, U.S. Agriculture Secretary

“This is a big win for Utah and the West. With nearly 90% of Forest Service lands west of the Mississippi, moving the U.S. Forest Service headquarters to Salt Lake City will put leadership closer to the lands, communities, and challenges they manage.”

— Spencer Cox, Governor of Utah

“The Forest Service should be structured in a way that allows them to steward our public lands effectively and with robust public engagement. This administration has routinely pursued the exact opposite by gutting protections and the public lands management workforce.”

— Alex Craven, Forest Campaign Manager, Sierra Club

What’s next

The Forest Service will begin implementing additional phases of the reorganization, including the formal elimination of regional and station office structures and the full transition to a state-based model, over the coming year.

The takeaway

The relocation of the Forest Service headquarters to Utah reflects the Trump administration's broader strategy of shifting federal agencies and decision-making closer to Western states and communities. While proponents argue this will improve efficiency and responsiveness, critics are concerned it could undermine public oversight and environmental protections on public lands.