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The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it will relocate the headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City as part of a broader restructuring of the agency.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the move will shift at least 260 positions out of the Washington area, while about 130 roles will remain in the area. Officials said additional relocations are possible, though details remain unclear. The transition is expected to be completed by summer 2027.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the relocation is intended to align the agency more closely with the lands it manages.
“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,” said Secretary Brooke L. Rollins.
“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. This includes supporting our timber growers across the country, including those in the Southeast by prioritizing a regional office and promoting policies that boost timber production, lowering costs for consumers. In the past year we have returned the Forest Service to the leading forestry and fire management organization in the world,” she continued.
“Proper forest management means a healthy and productive forest system that provides affordable, quality lumber to build homes right here in America and it means preserving and protecting the beautiful landscapes we are blessed with across this great country,” she concluded.
The plan also includes a sweeping reorganization. The agency will establish 15 state directors, eliminate regional offices, and shift operations to service centers in cities including Albuquerque, New Mexico; Athens, Georgia; Fort Collins, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; Missoula, Montana; and Placerville, California. Research operations will be consolidated in Fort Collins.
The move follows a similar effort during Trump’s first term to relocate the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Colorado. That decision drew criticism from those who warned it could lead to staff departures and a loss of institutional knowledge.