The US Forest Service is one of the most consequential public institutions in American history. It manages 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands across 44 states — land that provides clean drinking water to 180 million Americans, shelters thousands of species, sequesters millions of tons of carbon each year, and supports rural communities whose livelihoods depend on healthy forests.
📍 The proposed relocation
A plan to move the USFS headquarters from Washington DC to Utah has alarmed conservation experts, former agency officials, and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle. The move is projected to cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars — and because most senior staff would not relocate, the agency stands to lose decades of irreplaceable institutional knowledge.
⚠️ The budget threat
Proposed cuts would gut wildfire prevention programmes, reduce the ranger workforce, halt scientific research, and defer trail and watershed maintenance. Every dollar invested in watershed protection saves an estimated $7.50 in downstream water treatment costs.
🖊️ What you can do right now
The single most effective action a constituent can take is a direct, personalised letter to their senator. Use the Write to Your Senator tool to generate and send yours in under two minutes.