Forest Service Reorganization Threatens Research and Collaboration

In Baltimore, when dead trees are removed, the city avoids landfill costs by sending them to a recycling facility. This facility transforms old wood into products like furniture, contributing financial gains to Baltimore. Shaun Preston, manager at Camp Small—the site where this recycling occurs—credits the U.S. Forest Service for operational research support, which was crucial for development.

“The U.S. Forest Service helped us with research and idea development initially,” Preston said. “They encouraged growth and progression of Camp Small.”

Nationwide, over 1,000 Forest Service employees conduct research from various facilities to manage 193 million acres of national forest and grassland. These projects range from combating invasive species in Hawaii to fire prevention strategies in Montana and often include collaboration with local partners like Camp Small.

However, on March 31, the Forest Service announced a significant reorganization plan intending to close research facilities, including Baltimore’s. President Trump’s 2027 budget proposal drastically reduced research funding to zero from $309 million in 2026, provoking concerns over potential closures of over 100 facilities.

In an April 16 budget hearing, Forest Service Chief Schulz discussed fiscal responsibility, suggesting closer proximity of agency workers to the lands they manage. The reorganization includes relocating the agency’s headquarters to Salt Lake City and closing regional offices involved in permitting and management.

“We’re prioritizing managing national forests for their intended purposes and ensuring maximum taxpayer value,” Schulz stated, emphasizing the need to live within financial means.

Despite assurances from the Forest Service about consolidation efforts to retain staff, the closure evaluations prompted concerns. NPR analysis and interviews reveal that current geographic placements are cost-effective, with many facilities owned outright or leased at nominal rates, such as the Hawaii site with a $1 fee.

Dr. Paul Hessburg, a Senior Research Ecologist, notes about his lab in Wenatchee, Wash., “We own the land and buildings, making us a valuable asset, yet we face closure evaluations.” Maintenance costs are highlighted, with deferred maintenance on buildings hitting $3 billion, far lower than road upkeep of over $8 billion.

Concerns arise around facility relocations potentially disrupting irreplaceable research data and local partnerships. Scientists like Dr. Morgan Grove, retired in 2025, fear research in locations like urban Baltimore cannot continue effectively from remote locations like Denver.

“Collaboration requires local presence,” Grove said. “Otherwise, connections with community partners dissolve.”

Forest Service interviews included researchers hesitant to relocate due to specialized local research and the perceived negative impact on project outcomes. The agency’s essential Forestry Inventory Analysis program, mandated by Congress, could face logistical challenges and increased costs due to potential relocation of a third of its staff.

Failure to recognize the value of current locations has led to unrest among employees. NPR documents show leases costing almost nothing, suggesting a lack of thorough evaluation of existing assets. Closing these offices threatens local research data and established community connections.

“Research is unique to each landscape and linked to vital data sets,” a scientist remarked, highlighting moving risks.

Amid union objections to procedural violations, Forest Service leaders assert ongoing evaluations of the proposed changes, declining interviews but confirming phased implementations and employee resources.

Forest Service employees argue restructuring undermines decades of research achievements. Scientists warn that the reorganization risks collapsing efforts to inform public forest management. Long-term impacts could harm nearly 200 million acres of national forest lands, as expressed by Hessburg, reinforcing the importance of the organization for ecological stewardship.