Forest Service headquarters moving to Salt Lake City under Trump

The Trump administration is moving the Forest Service headquarters from Washington to Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of a broader campaign to shift federal agents closer to the states they oversee and reduce the government’s base in the nation’s capital.

The US Department of Agriculture announced the move on Tuesday and said it will begin restructuring the agency, removing leadership and redistributing authority across the country in an effort officials say will improve decision-making, cut costs and boost employment.

The transition represents a significant structural change in the way the Forest Service operates, moving senior leadership and key operations closer to the western regions where most of the national forest land is located and where wildfire risk and land management demands are most concentrated.

“President Trump has made it a priority to restore common sense to the way our government operates. Bringing the Forest Service closer to the forests we manage is an important step that will advance our primary goal of managing our forests while saving taxpayer dollars and improving workforce recruitment,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a statement announcing the move.

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“Establishing a western headquarters in Salt Lake City and directing how the Forest Service is organized will put the Chief and operational leaders closer to the lands we manage and the people who depend on them.”

Under the plan, the agency would use a government-based structure designed to take more authority out of Washington and into the field.

Fifteen provincial directors will oversee operations across the country, manage forest management, set priorities and coordinate with government, tribal and local stakeholders. Each office will be supported by small teams in charge of communications, legal affairs and the work of government agencies.

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Forest Service crews work to clear debris and reduce wildfire risk near giant sequoia trees in the Sequoia National Forest, California, on Aug. 24, 2022. Forest Service headquarters moves from Washington to Salt Lake City, Utah, as USDA announces sweeping restructuring officials say will cut costs. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The reorganization will eliminate the organization’s regional office system, as all regional offices will be closed as part of the transition. Many administrative functions will shift to service centers across the country, while officials said priority operations, including wildfire response, will remain unchanged. The changes are expected to take effect next year.

The move builds on a broader effort by the Trump administration to move parts of the federal government out of Washington, including moving the Bureau of Land Management headquarters to Colorado during his first term and relocating key USDA research facilities to Kansas City.

The administration has framed the move as a way to save on the cost of keeping the government in place, remove power from Washington and bring decision-making closer to local operations.

A Sequoia National Forest firefighter cuts vegetation to reduce wildfire danger near giant sequoias in California on Aug. 23, 2022. The USDA announced that the Forest Service will move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, replacing regional offices with 15 state directors across the country. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The push comes despite top proposals that have yet to materialize, including earlier talks about moving the FBI’s headquarters from Washington.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox hailed the move as “a huge win for Utah and the West.”

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“Approximately 90% of the Forest Service’s land is west of the Mississippi, so putting leadership closer to the areas they manage makes sense,” Cox said.

“This is not a metaphor. It means better, faster decisions on the ground. Everyone who depends on our public lands, from hikers and campers to ranchers and timber producers, will benefit from this change. Moving away from a regional model to a more state-centered approach strengthens federalism and helps the Forest Service do its job more effectively.”