At 4,863 feet above sea level, Spruce Knob, on the Monongahela National Forest, is West Virginia’s highest peak.
(Courtesy of Preston Keres/U.S. Department of Agriculture)
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has appointed Tom Schultz, of Idaho, as the country’s top forestry official.
Schultz will serve as the 21st chief of the U.S. Forest Service, an agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture that oversees the 154 national forests and 20 grasslands across 43 states. In his role, he will lead forest management, research, development and wildland firefighting, the agency announced in a press release on Thursday.
Schultz previously was the vice president of resources and government affairs at Idaho Forest Group, a family-owned company based in Coeur d’Alene that is now one of the country’s largest lumber producers. Schultz also served as director of the Idaho Department of Lands where he managed millions of acres of endowment lands and minerals.
He also has leadership experience with Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, managing trust lands and water resource divisions. The former U.S. Air Force officer holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the University of Virginia, a master’s degree in political science from the University of Wyoming and a master’s degree in forestry from the University of Montana.
“Tom is the right person to lead the Forest Service right now, and I know he will fight every day to restore America’s national forests,” Rollins said in the press release. “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.”
Schultz will replace Chief Randy Moore, who announced he is retiring effective March 3 after serving the agency for more than 40 years.
“Working to further healthier forests and a better Forest Service on behalf of the American people has been the honor of my life,” Moore said in the press release. “I am confident that Tom will continue to take steps to ensure the longevity, productivity, and splendor of our national forests and grasslands.”
Schultz thanked Moore for his leadership and stewarding the country’s national forests and grasslands.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be the next chief of the Forest Service,” Schultz said in the press release. “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.”
At least two Idahoans appointed to key USDA positions under Trump administration
Schultz is the second Idahoan to be appointed to a key federal position with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In January, President Donald Trump appointed Idaho businessman Michael Boren as the department’s under secretary for natural resources and the environment, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.
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Idaho Gov. Brad Little applauded Schultz’s appointment.
“Forty percent of our state is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and Idaho will greatly benefit from having Mike Boren and Tom Schultz help carry out President Trump’s vision to boldly transform how wildfire and forests are managed across the West,” Little said in a press release on Thursday. “Under the leadership of Secretary Rollins, USDA is making necessary improvements across her agency. We are blessed to be well represented by Idahoans who reflect Idaho values, and we stand ready to help the Trump Administration prevent and more quickly suppress wildfire, better manage our forests, and improve outdoor recreation on public lands in our state.”
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