The federal government announced it will close all four U.S. Forest Service research bases in Michigan.
The state has three national forests totaling nearly 3 million acres.
The USDA announced the closures as part of a “radical reorganization” of the U.S. Forest Service “to bring leadership closer to the forests and communities it serves.”
The four Michigan offices are among 57 planned to close nationwide. There are two study sites each in Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas: Houghton and Lance in the Northern Peninsula, and East Lansing and Wellston in Lower Michigan. A timetable for the closure has not yet been announced.
These research sites study forest health, ecosystems, invasive species management and more.
Information about retained research facilities and closed research facilities can be found on this webpage.
The USDA also announced that it will move USDA headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, and open a new regional research base. Michigan will be served from an office in Madison, Wisconsin, which will also serve Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.
“This is about building a Forest Service that is nimble, efficient, effective and closer to the forests and communities it serves,” said Forest Service Director Tom Schultz. “Effective stewardship and active stewardship are achieved on the ground where forests and communities live, not just behind desks in the capital. Through this transformation we will strengthen our connection to forests and the people who depend on them, while supporting our people and respecting the dedication that has always defined our service.”
The announcement did not mention any changes to the superintendent’s office or ranger district for the Huron-Manistee, Hiawatha and Ottawa national forests in Michigan.
The USFS manages approximately 193 million acres of land across the United States.
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