The U.S. Forest Service offices in Portland, responsible for wildfire prevention, scientific research, forestland management, and conservation across the Northwest, were set to be closed and relocated out of state under a new plan announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s leadership. In a memo dated July 24, Brooke Rollins, the head of the department overseeing the Forest Service, detailed a restructuring initiative that involved closing all nine regional Forest Service offices nationwide, including the Region 6 headquarters in Portland. Their operations would be consolidated and moved over the next year to five designated hub locations: Fort Collins, Colorado; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Missouri; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Salt Lake City.
In an email to the Capital Chronicle, a USDA spokesperson from the Forest Service Region 6 office, who wished to remain anonymous, indicated that Rollins’ announcement was just the “first step” in the reorganization process. “Some aspects of the reorganization will take place over the coming months, while others will take more time,” the spokesperson wrote. “We understand this change may be challenging, but we are hopeful that affected employees will continue with us as we work to enhance our services and deliver benefits to the communities we serve.” Oregon’s senior U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat, described the plan as “inane” in an email and expressed his intent to oppose it.
The plan also includes the closure and consolidation of the Forest Service’s century-old Pacific Northwest Research Station in Portland, along with six other research stations across the country, moving their functions to the USDA hub in Fort Collins.
The exact number of employees at the U.S. Forest Service Northwest Region Headquarters remains unclear, as agency representatives did not provide specific figures. However, the Pacific Northwest Research Station website indicates there are approximately 246 permanent, full-time employees, predominantly scientists, based in Portland. It is uncertain whether these employees will have the opportunity to relocate with their positions or if layoffs will occur.
According to the memo, about 4,600 individuals are currently employed at the department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., but this number is expected to decrease to 2,000 as staff members are transitioned to the hub cities.
