WASHINGTON, D.C. — Wyoming's congressional delegation welcomed the appointment of Tom Schultz, a University of Wyoming graduate with extensive land-use management experience in western states, to lead the U.S. Forest Service.
Schultz, who worked for an Idaho timber company as well as state lands agencies in Idaho and Montana, will replace Randy Moore as chief, according to an announcement Thursday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the Forest Service.
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, told Cowboy State Daily that Schultz seems likely to put "local stewardship over D.C. overreach" concerning the forests.
“I am optimistic Tom Schultz has the potential to succeed as Forest Service director for Wyoming and America’s forests," said Hageman, who previously told Cowboy State Daily that Moore mismanaged the agency.
"His University of Wyoming background, Air Force discipline, and Western land management experience suggest he’ll favor local stewardship over D.C. overreach," she said. "His timber procurement expertise offers hope for policies that could bolster Wyoming’s economy and industry."
As a member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Hageman said she’s eager to work with Schultz “to improve our federal lands and forests for communities, commerce and recreation."
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyoming, greeted the announcement favorably.
“As a University of Wyoming grad and with his strong ties to the American West, I am confident Tom will be a strong leader to help restore our national forests,” Barrasso told Cowboy State Daily. “I look forward to working with him to make sure we bolster Wyoming’s timber and agriculture industries and protect our brave wildland firefighters.”
Barrasso’s Wyoming colleague in the Senate, Republican Cynthia Lummis, also noted Schultz’s UW ties and echoed Barrasso’s support.
"President Trump and Secretary Rollins have made a great choice,” Lummis told Cowboy State Daily. “I’m confident that he is the leader who will bring balance back to the Forest Service and return the agency to responsible logging and management. I look forward to working with Tom to restore and protect our country’s great national forests.”
Agency Mission
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollis said Schultz is the right pick for the job.
“I know he will fight every day to restore America’s national forests,” Rollins says in a statement announcing the appointment. “Together, Tom and the incredible employees at the Forest Service will work to execute the agenda of President Donald J. Trump to make America’s forests healthy and productive again.”
Moore on Wednesday abruptly announced his retirement, effective March 3, in an email to his staff. He said cuts to the agency’s workforce in recent weeks as part of Trump’s downsizing of nearly the whole government have been “incredibly difficult.”
Eight national forests are located in whole or in part in Wyoming, totaling more than 9 million acres in the state. Bridger-Teton, which is entirely within Wyoming’s borders, is the third-largest national forest in the Lower 48 and fifth-largest altogether at 3.4 million acres.
Similar to other agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service issues permits for energy development, timber harvesting and livestock grazing on public lands while also fighting wildfires and managing recreational uses such as hiking and off-roading.
‘Incredibly Grateful’
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be the next chief of the Forest Service,” Schultz said in a USDA statement. “I will work tirelessly to further support and protect our rural communities. Working with our partners, we will actively manage national forests and grasslands, increase opportunities for outdoor recreation, and suppress wildfires with all available resources emphasizing safety and the importance of protecting resource values.”
A former U.S. Air Force officer, Schultz was vice president of resources and government affairs at Idaho Forest Group, a family-owned lumber company based in Coeur d’Alene. There, he led timber procurement operations and managed relationships with government officials at all levels, according to the USDA.
Schultz was also director of the Idaho Department of Lands, overseeing the management of several million surface acres of endowment lands and minerals. He held leadership roles in Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, managing the Trust Lands and Water Resources divisions.
In addition to a master’s degree in political science from the University of Wyoming, Schultz holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in forestry from the University of Montana.
No New Numbers
The USDA on Thursday told Cowboy State Daily in an email that it has no up-to-date numbers on job cuts at the Forest Service.
“On staffing, we don’t have confirmed numbers or positions for individual Forest Service units to share at the moment,” the agency said.
The email repeated a figure from last week, confirming that as of then, 2,000 Forest Service employees had been sacked. Other media reports have put the number closer to 3,400.
Schultz thanked Moore for the outgoing chief’s service of more than four decades at the agency.
“Chief Moore has been a diligent public servant and has demonstrated his steadfast commitment to stewarding our national forests and grasslands,” Schultz said. “We thank him for his dedication and leadership.”
