Forest Service Relocation Plan Sparks Concern in Rural Communities

Future of Juneau’s Forest Service lab in limbo after agency announces restructuring, closes Anchorage Forestry Lab

The Tongass National Forest. (Sydney Dauphinais/KRBD) The Anchorage Forestry Sciences Lab is set to close and the future of the Pacific Northwest Research Station lab in Juneau is uncertain since the U.S. Forest Service began a national restructuring last week. The agency announced last Tuesday that its headquarters will move to Utah, the existing regional structure will be switched to a state structure and dozens of forest research labs will cl…

Forest Service Relocation Plan Sparks Concern in Rural Communities

(NAFB.com) – A federal plan to relocate the headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service from Washington to Utah is drawing mixed reactions from agriculture and rural stakeholders. Officials say the move is intended to bring leadership closer to the lands and communities the agency serves. Supporters argue the shift could improve responsiveness to issues such as wildfire management, grazing and forest health. They say proximity to western landscapes …

Forest Service Leaving D.C. In Major Western Shift

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Forest Service will relocate its headquarters to Salt Lake City and overhaul its leadership structure, a move federal officials say is intended to bring decision-making closer to the lands and communities the agency manages. What This Means for You Forest management decisions may be made closer to local communities and conditions Regional offices will close as authority shifts to state-level leadership Changes could …