{"id":2587162,"date":"2026-04-04T14:31:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-to-move-forest-service-hq-from-washington-dc-to-utah-and-shutter-research-sites\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T14:36:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:36:34","slug":"trump-to-move-forest-service-hq-from-washington-dc-to-utah-and-shutter-research-sites","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-to-move-forest-service-hq-from-washington-dc-to-utah-and-shutter-research-sites\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump to Move Forest Service HQ from Washington, DC to Utah, and Shutter Research Sites"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-to-move-forest-service-hq-from-washington-dc-to-utah-and-shutter-research-sites%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2587162&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The piece reports that the Trump administration plans to relocate the U.S. Forest Service headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt lake City as part of a broad organizational overhaul that would shutter research facilities in 31 states and concentrate resources in the West. The move, expected to be completed by summer 2027, aims to put leaders closer to the landscapes they manage and the people who depend on them, with Forest Service leadership saying stewardship is best done on the ground rather than in a capital office.<\/p>\n<p>The article notes that nearly 90 percent of National Forest System land lies in the West, and Utah, while not the state with the moast forest land, accounts for a significant area. it recalls that Donald trump previously moved the Bureau of Land Management to Colorado, a move later reversed by the Biden administration, which moved BLM headquarters back to Washington after two years. As part of the new plan, about 260 Forest Service positions would relocate to Utah, while about 130 would remain in place, though the agency has not detailed how many regional office workers might be reassigned or laid off.<\/p>\n<p>Officials highlighted Salt Lake City\u2019s affordable cost of living, proximity to an international airport, and family-amiable environment as factors in the choice. Utah Governor Spencer cox called it a win for Utah and the West, while environmental groups warned it could undermine <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-biden-knows-he-messed-up-on-fracking-at-debate-and-is-now-doing-damage-control-the-daily-wire\/\" title=\"Joe Biden Knows He Messed Up On Fracking At Debate And Is Now Doing Damage Control | The Daily Wire\">public lands<\/a> stewardship by shifting power toward states and corporations.Some lawmakers offered mixed views, with a New Mexico Democrat cautiously optimistic about closer proximity to local lands, and a Utah Republican anticipating improved wildfire responsiveness.<\/p>\n<p>The plan envisions closing many regional offices and consolidating services into hubs in New Mexico, Georgia, Colorado, Wisconsin, Montana, and California, with research centralized at a single location in Fort Collins, Colorado. The Forest Service said it had not yet determined how many employees would need to relocate and did not specify any potential layoffs. The report also includes a note that The Western Journal published the AP story with a caveat about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-womens-soccer-team-kneels-for-anthem-wears-black-lives-matter\/\" title=\"US Women&#039;s Soccer Team Kneels for Anthem, Wears &#039;Black Lives Matter&#039;\">editorial standards<\/a> and potential bias.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; President Donald Trump&rsquo;s administration will move the U.S. Forest Service headquarters out of the nation&rsquo;s capital to Salt Lake City as part of an organizational overhaul that involves shuttering research facilities in 31 states and concentrating resources in the West, the agency announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the move, which is expected to be completed by summer 2027, will bring leaders closer to the landscapes they manage and the people who depend on them.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Effective stewardship and active management are achieved on the ground, where forests and communities are found &mdash; not just behind a desk in the capital,&rdquo; Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz said.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly 90 percent of National Forest System land is in the West, though Utah is only the 11th-ranked state for national forest coverage, with about 14,300 square miles (37,000 square kilometers).<\/p>\n<p>During his first term, Trump moved the Bureau of Land Management to Colorado, citing many of the same reasons, including a desire to put top officials closer to the public lands they oversee. But it wasn&rsquo;t long before the Biden administration reversed course, moving BLM headquarters back to Washington, D.C., after two years.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\tdocument.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\", function() { \t\t\t\t\tfunction loadAnyclip() { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst container=document.getElementById(\"anyclipvideo\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!container) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst script=document.createElement(\"script\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.src=\"https:\/\/player.anyclip.com\/anyclip-widget\/lre-widget\/prod\/v1\/src\/lre.js\"; \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"pubname\", \"westernjournalcom\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tscript.setAttribute(\"widgetname\", \"001w000001jULVcAAO_M12924\");  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ append inside the container so player shows in correct spot \t\t\t\t\t\tcontainer.appendChild(script); \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\tfunction findPreviousParagraph(selector, x) { \t\t\t\t\t\tconst targetElement=document.querySelector(selector); \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!targetElement) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Target element not found.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Get all <\/p>\n<p> elements in order as they appear in the document \t\t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphs=Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(\"p\"));  \t\t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the index of the last <\/p>\n<p> before the target element \t\t\t\t\t\tlet targetIndex=paragraphs.findIndex(p=> p.compareDocumentPosition(targetElement) & Node.DOCUMENT_POSITION_PRECEDING);  \t\t\t\t\t\tif (targetIndex===-1 || targetIndex <x) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.warn(\"Not enough paragraphs before the target element.\"); \t\t\t\t\t\t\treturn null; \t\t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\treturn paragraphs[targetIndex - x]; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Set up IntersectionObserver \t\t\t\t\tfunction observeElement(element) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif (!element) return;  \t\t\t\t\t\tconst observer=new IntersectionObserver( \t\t\t\t\t\t\t(entries)=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tentries.forEach(entry=> { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tif (entry.isIntersecting) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log(\"Paragraph is now visible:\", entry.target.textContent.trim()); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tloadAnyclip(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.disconnect(); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t\t\t\t}, \t\t\t\t\t\t\t{ threshold: 0.5 } \/\/ Adjust threshold as needed \t\t\t\t\t\t);  \t\t\t\t\t\tobserver.observe(element); \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\t\/\/ Find the 1st paragraph before #anyclipvideo and observe it \t\t\t\t\tlet paragraphToObserve=findPreviousParagraph(\"#anyclipvideo\", 2); \t\t\t\t\tobserveElement(paragraphToObserve); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture has been moving thousands of employees out of Washington over the past year and eliminating layers of management as part of Trump&rsquo;s push to slim down the federal workforce and make it more efficient.<\/p>\n<p>With the move to Utah, about 260 Forest Service positions currently located in Washington are expected to relocate, and 130 workers will stay put, the agency said.<\/p>\n<p>Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden said Salt Lake City stuck out for its reasonable cost of living, proximity to an international airport, and the state&rsquo;s &ldquo;family-focused way of life.&rdquo; It&rsquo;s a Democratic-led capital city in a red state with values rooted in the Latter-Day Saint religion, known widely as Mormonism.<\/p>\n<p>Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, celebrated the move Tuesday as &ldquo;a big win for Utah and the West,&rdquo; while environmental groups viewed it as a precursor to the agency&rsquo;s dismantling.<\/p>\n<p>Taylor McKinnon at the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity described the move as &ldquo;a costly bureaucratic reshuffle&rdquo; that will put more power in the hands of corporations and states to log, mine, and drill public lands.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;National forests belong to all Americans,&rdquo; McKinnon, the environmental group&rsquo;s Southwest director, said. &ldquo;Our nation&rsquo;s capital is where federal policy is made and where the Forest Service headquarters belongs.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Many regional offices will close in the reorganization, and their services will shift to hubs in New Mexico, Georgia, Colorado, Wisconsin, Montana, and California. Instead of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >maintaining multiple dispersed research stations<\/a> with their own leadership, the agency will anchor its research at a single location in Fort Collins, Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>The Forest Service said it did not yet know how many workers in regional offices will need to relocate. A representative did not answer whether the transition would involve layoffs.<\/p>\n<p>U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fern&aacute;ndez, a New Mexico Democrat who sits on the House&rsquo;s Natural Resources Committee, expressed cautious optimism that the Forest Service reorganization could be positive if leadership and jobs are ultimately brought closer to New Mexico and other states.<\/p>\n<p>A Republican on the committee, U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy of Utah, welcomed the move to her state, saying it could <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-rep-pulls-out-his-phone-during-hearing-to-illustrate-big-problem-with-social-security\/\" title=\"GOP Rep. Pulls Out His Phone During Hearing to Illustrate Big Problem with Social Security\">improve responsiveness<\/a> to wildfires and ensure decisions are informed by on-the-ground realities.<\/p>\n<p>The Forest Service&rsquo;s deputy chief of fire and aviation management, Sarah Fisher, said on a podcast Tuesday that there will be no changes to the agency&rsquo;s operational firefighting workforce.<\/p>\n<p>___<\/p>\n<p><em>Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-style: italic;\">The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/harrison-ford-announces-end-of-iconic-character-i-need-to-sit-down-and-rest-a-little-bit\/\" title=\"Harrison Ford retires iconic character, needs rest.\">normal editorial standards<\/a>. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s a paraphrase of the article:<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration announced a major reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service, moving its headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City as part of a plan to shutter research facilities in 31 states and concentrate resources in the West. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the move, expected to be finished by mid-2027, will bring agency leadership closer to the landscapes they manage and the people who rely on them. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz added that true stewardship happens on the ground, where forests and communities exist, not just behind a desk in the capital.<\/p>\n<p>Most of the National Forest System lands are in the West, though Utah ranks 11th in national forest coverage, with about 14,300 square miles. Earlier in Trump\u2019s term, the BLM headquarters were moved to Colorado for similar reasons, but the Biden administration later moved the BLM back to Washington, D.C., after two years.<\/p>\n<p>Under the plan, roughly 260 Forest Service positions now in Washington would relocate to Utah, while about 130 would stay put. Salt Lake City was chosen for its reasonable cost of living, proximity to an international airport, and a family-friendly lifestyle. Utah Governor Spencer Cox welcomed the move as a \u201cbig win\u201d for Utah and the West, while some environmental groups warned it could herald a dismantling of the agency.<\/p>\n<p>Critics argued the reorganization amounts to a costly bureaucratic reshuffle that could expand corporate and state control over logging, mining, and drilling on public lands. They noted that national forests belong to all Americans and emphasized that Washington, D.C., is where federal policy is made and where the Forest Service headquarters should remain.<\/p>\n<p>Many regional offices will be shuttered, with services moved to hubs in New Mexico, Georgia, Colorado, Wisconsin, Montana, and California. Instead of maintaining several dispersed research stations, the agency will centralize research at a single facility in Fort Collins, Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>The Forest Service has not yet said how many regional workers will need to relocate, and there was no clear answer about potential layoffs. Some lawmakers welcomed the move, arguing it could improve wildfire responsiveness and ensure decisions reflect on-the-ground conditions. Others cautioned about the broader implications for staffing and local knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>(Note: This summary reflects the Associated Press report on the reorganization and subsequent coverage.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2587163,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/9fca0702ec6b42f3b71e85cd36f9c7be-e1775060045490.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[77155,77156,3634,5764],"class_list":["post-2587162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-forestservice","tag-hqrelocation","tag-trump","tag-utah"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/9fca0702ec6b42f3b71e85cd36f9c7be-e1775060045490.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587162","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2587162"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587162\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2587166,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2587162\/revisions\/2587166"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2587163"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2587162"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2587162"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2587162"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}