FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hunter Nation Applauds USDA's Relocation of Forest Service Headquarters to Utah, a Move to Bring Management Closer to the People

Salt Lake City, UT – April 1, 2026 – Hunter Nation, a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the rights of hunters and promoting conservation, today celebrated the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) decision to move the headquarters of the U.S. Forest Service to Salt Lake City, Utah. 

This strategic relocation, announced by Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, represents a significant step toward more effective, responsive, and locally-informed management of our nation's forests.

"Moving the Forest Service headquarters to the heart of the West is a common-sense decision that will directly benefit hunters, ranchers, and all who cherish our public lands,"

said Keith Mark, Founder and CEO of Hunter Nation.

"This move will foster better collaboration with local partners, leading to improved forest health and greater access for sportsmen and women."

The relocation is part of a broader restructuring of the agency to a state-based organizational model, which will empower local leadership and streamline decision-making. 

With nearly 90% of Forest Service lands located west of the Mississippi, this move will place leadership closer to the resources they manage. 

"This is what real conservation looks like,"

said Ted Nugent, Hunter Nation Board Member.

"You don’t manage wildlife and wild lands from a desk in Washington, D.C. You manage it where the dirt, the timber, and the animals actually are. Putting the Forest Service in Utah is a win for common sense, a win for hunters, and a win for the future of America’s outdoor heritage."

Hunter Nation applauds the USDA and the Trump Administration for their commitment to our rural communities and their recognition of the vital role that active forest management plays in conservation and our outdoor heritage. We look forward to working with the Forest Service in their new home to ensure our forests are managed for the benefit of all Americans, now and for generations to come.