The U.S. Department of Agriculture and United States Forest Service will undergo a large restructuring process that will close all four forest research facilities in Michigan.
Last week, the USDA announced plans to move its headquarters to Salt Lake City, Utah, alongside the sweeping restructuring of the agency. The restructuring will close more than 50 USFS research and development facilities across the country.
Under the new model, the agency plans to have 15 state directors spread across the nation to oversee forest service operations in one or more states. After the closure of forest research facilities in Michigan — located in East Lansing, Houghton, L’Anse and Wellston — the state’s forest service will be managed by offices in Wisconsin.
The facility in L’Anse includes leased office space at the Ford Alberta Center managed by Michigan Technological University. The Forestry Sciences laboratory in Houghton maintains about 20 employees from different branches of the United States Forest Service. The USFS Forest Inventory and Analysis program office in L’Anse includes a handful of FIA crew members.
The space in Houghton has also been used by students enrolled in programs within the university’s College of Forest Resources and Environmental Sciences.
The U.S. Forest Service plans to provide additional transition details to employees as milestones approach over the calendar year.
Comments