Giant sequoias, Calaveras Big Trees
Ongoing Investigation

The Fight to Save the U.S. Forest Service

On April 1, 2026, More Than Just Parks broke the story of the Forest Service dismantling before any major outlet. The White House responded directly to our reporting. Seven former Forest Service chiefs have since confirmed what we published. This is the full record.

5 investigations 193 million acres Take action ↓
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Acres at stake
National forests and grasslands
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Research facilities
Slated for closure
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Staff forced out
Firings and deferred resignations
0
Public comments
82% of those addressing restructuring opposed
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Outdoor companies
Opposing the plan
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Former FS chiefs
Publicly opposed
Sources: USDA reorganization proposal, Federal Register, NFFE-IAM, Conservation Alliance, National Association of Forest Service Retirees, MTJP reporting

Five Investigations in Two Weeks

Mt. Hood National Forest
193M
Acres of national forest at stake
Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon / MTJP

See It for Yourself

What's at stake near you?

Every regional office, national forest, and research facility affected by the reorganization. Find your state.

Open the map →

What They Said. What Actually Happened.

The White House called us "losers" and contested one job classification in our coverage.

The classification they contested was correct. We published the receipts.

Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden posted a seven-tweet rebuttal. The Forest Service rewrote its own website with a "Myth vs. Fact" section to counter our coverage.

Our fact-check addresses every claim in both.

Their own scientists, their own union, seven of their own former chiefs, and independent newsrooms contradicted the administration's claims.

Giant sequoia trees

"Their own scientists, their own union, their own retirees, and seven of their own former chiefs said this plan is dangerous. The administration did it anyway."

More Than Just Parks
Sequoia National Forest / MTJP

Who's Fighting This

This is not a partisan issue.

Former Agency Leadership
  • Seven former U.S. Forest Service Chiefs have publicly opposed the reorganization, calling it a threat to the agency's mission and the communities it serves. Source
  • National Association of Forest Service Retirees -- thousands of career professionals who built and ran the agency. NAFSR
Outdoor Industry
70+ companies
  • 70+ outdoor companies signed the Conservation Alliance statement, including Patagonia, REI, Columbia Sportswear, Black Diamond, Orvis, and Osprey. The outdoor recreation economy supports 5 million American jobs. Conservation Alliance
Congress
  • Members of the Senate and House Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Appropriations committees have spoken out against the reorganization, including bipartisan opposition to the plan's legal basis and impact on rural communities.
Labor
  • National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE-IAM) -- the union representing 20,000+ Forest Service employees -- has challenged the reorganization as destructive to the workforce and mission. NFFE

What You Can Do Right Now

Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard
(202) 224-3121

Ask for your senators and representative by name. Tell them you oppose the dismantling of the U.S. Forest Service and ask what they're doing to stop it.

Press inquiries or permission to cite our reporting: [email protected]