Trump Administration to Move U.S. Forest Service Headquarters to Utah

The relocation aims to bring agency leadership closer to the public lands they manage, but critics warn it could lead to less oversight and more corporate influence.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:13am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, photorealistic painting of a lone Forest Service ranger station nestled in a rugged, mountainous landscape, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of solitude and contemplation.The relocation of the Forest Service headquarters away from Washington, D.C. raises concerns about reduced federal oversight and increased corporate influence over public land management.Salt Lake City Today

The Trump administration announced plans to move the headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service from Washington, D.C. to Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of a broader organizational overhaul. The move, expected to be completed by 2027, will relocate about 260 Forest Service positions currently located in the nation's capital. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins cited a desire to bring agency leaders closer to the landscapes they manage and the people who depend on them. However, environmental groups have criticized the move as a "costly bureaucratic reshuffle" that could give more power to corporations and states to exploit public lands.

Why it matters

The relocation of the Forest Service headquarters to Utah, a Republican-led state with strong ties to the Mormon church, raises concerns that it could lead to less federal oversight and more corporate influence over the management of national forests. Environmental groups argue that the nation's capital is the appropriate location for the agency's headquarters, where federal policy is made.

The details

The Forest Service plans to close research facilities in 31 states and concentrate resources in the West, with a single research hub located in Fort Collins, Colorado. About 130 Washington-based positions will remain in the capital, while 260 will relocate to Salt Lake City. The agency has not yet determined how many workers in regional offices will need to relocate or if the transition will involve layoffs.

  • The move is expected to be completed by summer 2027.

The players

Brooke Rollins

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

Tom Schultz

The Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, who stated that effective stewardship is achieved on the ground, not just behind a desk in the capital.

Stephen Vaden

The U.S. Deputy Agriculture Secretary, who cited Salt Lake City's reasonable cost of living, proximity to an international airport, and the state's "family-focused way of life" as reasons for the relocation.

Spencer Cox

The Republican Governor of Utah, who celebrated the move as "a big win for Utah and the West."

Taylor McKinnon

The Southwest director of the Center for Biological Diversity, who described the move as "a costly bureaucratic reshuffle" that will put more power in the hands of corporations and states to log, mine, and drill public lands.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“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

“National forests belong to all Americans. Our nation's capital is where federal policy is made and where the Forest Service headquarters belongs.”

— Taylor McKinnon, Southwest director of the Center for Biological Diversity

“At a time when wildfires are getting worse, and access to public lands is already under strain, the last thing we need is an unnecessary reorganization that creates chaos and confusion for the land managers, researchers and wildland firefighters who help keep our forests healthy now and for future generations.”

— Josh Hicks, Conservation campaigns director at The Wilderness Society

What’s next

The Forest Service has not yet determined how many workers in regional offices will need to relocate or if the transition will involve layoffs.

The takeaway

The relocation of the Forest Service headquarters to Utah raises concerns that it could lead to less federal oversight and more corporate influence over the management of national forests, as the move brings the agency's leadership closer to a Republican-led state with strong ties to the Mormon church. Environmental groups argue that the nation's capital is the appropriate location for the agency's headquarters, where federal policy is made.