What is Trump doing with the US Forest Service?

What is Trump doing with the US Forest Service?5 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleNardine SaadGetty ImagesThe US government recently announced plans to relocate the headquarters for the national forest service from Washington, DC, to the state of Utah, stirring up worries that it intends to greatly shrink - or even shut down - the agency that manages the nation's forests, fights wildfires and conducts biological research.The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees the service, has said the move is part of a sweeping restructuring that will make the agency more effective and tie it closer to the millions of acres it oversees. Along with moving the headquarters, President Donald Trump's administration also plans to shut down regional offices and transition to a state-focused model.But as the administration bills the move as a "common-sense approach", opponents have said it threatens to limit people's access to national forests and weaken protections for public lands, potentially opening them to private businesses and extractive industries.Here's what we know about the impending changes to the US Forest Service (USFS):What is the US Forest Service?Getty ImagesEstablished by President Theodore Roosevelt more than a century ago, in 1905, the USFS manages 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which cover 193 million acres in 43 states, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.Employees focus on sustainable management, conservation, and use and stewardship of natural and cultural resources. The USFS also handles fire management and other safety initiatives. Famously, its wildfire-prevention programme is fronted by mascot Smokey the Bear.No timeline for the move to Utah has been announced yet. The BBC has contacted the USDA.Why is Trump moving the headquarters to Utah?EPA/ShutterstockUS Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins says the move to Utah will save taxpayers money and boost recruitment.On 31 March, the Trump...