Chief Tom Schultz details, defends largest Forest Service reorganization in a century

By: Mike Koshmrl

Outlets: Daily Montanan

Published: July 6, 2026

Words: 2,230

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 2 days ago

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PARK CITY, UTAH—The U.S. Forest Service received roughly 300 applications for the 15 new state director jobs created during a major agency reorganization that’s dissolving regional offices the agency’s first chief, Gifford Pinchot, created nearly 120 years ago.

That’s 20 applications per job, on average, for well-paying “senior executive service” positions at a federal agency that employs roughly 30,000 staff.

It’s a figure that, to many, suggests stunningly little interest in the jobs and …

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