Forest Service

The Superior National Forest is reopening 41 Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) entry points in central and eastern regions this week, covering roughly 39% of the area. The reopening follows earlier day-use reopenings in Cook County, with all other entry points remaining closed due to ongoing wildfires.

USDA union leaders oppose the Trump administration's plan to relocate over 2,500 employees from Washington, D.C., to five regional offices, warning of widespread layoffs and reduced capacity to address core functions like food safety and pest control. The reorganization, led by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, aims to cut the department's D.C. workforce to 2,000 by 2025, with regional offices in cities including Raleigh, Kansas City, and Salt Lake City.

The Trump administration's proposed USDA reorganization aims to relocate over 2,500 employees from Washington, D.C., to five regional offices, sparking opposition from union leaders who warn of layoffs and reduced capacity to address critical issues like food safety and wildfire response. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins' plan, outlined in a July 2025 memo, seeks to limit D.C. staff to 2,000, but critics argue it will harm the department's operational effectiveness.

USDA union leaders are protesting a proposed relocation of over 2,500 employees from Washington, D.C., to regional offices, which they argue will lead to layoffs and hinder the department's core services. The Trump administration's plan, led by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, aims to reduce the D.C. workforce to 2,000 by 2025, with employees moving to locations in North Carolina, Missouri, Indiana, Colorado, and Utah. The USDA has already lost over 20,000 employees since Trump's return to office, and critics warn further cuts will impact wildfire response and other critical functions.

The Forest Service is considering reopening 37 of 103 entry points in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness by July 30, contingent on wildfire conditions. The second phase would open 420,000 acres (39% of the area), including entry points in Lake County, Cook County, and one near Trout Lake in St. Louis County.

USDA union leaders oppose a Trump administration proposal to close the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center and relocate over 2,500 employees from Washington, D.C., to regional offices, warning of layoffs and reduced capacity for core USDA functions. The reorganization, led by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, aims to limit D.C. staffing to 2,000 by 2025, with regional offices in cities like Raleigh and Kansas City. Critics argue the move exacerbates existing workforce losses and hampers wildfire response and food safety efforts.

Drought and heat are worsening wildfires in the West, according to the Forest Service chief. The issue was discussed during testimony to a Congress subcommittee, which included debate over restructuring Forest Service offices.

Sweetwater residents criticize the White River National Forest's draft plan to develop a lodge, campsites, cabins, employee housing, and an equestrian center around Sweetwater Lake in Garfield County. The proposal aims to expand recreational and residential infrastructure in the remote area.

Forest Service workers were kidnapped, zip-tied, and held at gunpoint for 15 hours inside a trailer in California's wilderness. The incident occurred in a remote area, as indicated by the location described in the title.

The Ninth Circuit ruled that an Idaho federal court erred in allowing a logging project without environmental review, siding with the Alliance for the Wild Rockies. The decision centered on whether the Forest Service violated the Healthy Forests Restoration Act by excluding the project from environmental assessment requirements. The court emphasized that issue exhaustion did not apply due to the project's 'collaborative restoration' exemption and informal scoping process.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota is closing entry points due to more than a dozen wildfires. The closure, effective July 13-17, cancels permits and prohibits open flames in the Superior National Forest as part of safety measures.

Chaffee County Sheriff's Office is investigating an attempted arson near Clear Creek Reservoir, where an unknown individual used gasoline and a plastic bottle filled with accelerant to ignite trees on private land bordering National Forest. Authorities urge the public to report suspicious activity as they seek to identify the suspect.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins is promoting a reorganization plan to move the Forest Service headquarters from Washington and reduce its research infrastructure. The article criticizes this as sophistry and a destructive move that undermines the agency's mission.

The Forest Service is closing research hubs to cut costs, but plans to shut down facilities with low rental costs while keeping a more expensive one open. The agency's decision has been criticized for lacking financial logic.

The article states that the Trump administration has taken significant steps to alter the Forest Service, suggesting concerns about its politicization. It highlights the agency's importance and the administration's efforts to reshape it.

The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana upheld the Forest Service’s Mud Creek Project in the Bitterroot National Forest, allowing it to proceed with prescribed burns, fuel reduction treatments, and commercial timber harvest to reduce wildfire risks. The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Ravalli County joined the federal government in defending the project.