Tom Schultz Named Chief of USDA Forest Service

On Thursday, US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that Tom Schultz will serve as the 21st chief of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. He will be replacing Chief Randy Moore, who recently announced his retirement after serving the agency for over four decades.

Schultz previously served as vice president of resources and government affairs at Idaho Forest Group, where he led timber procurement operations and managed relationships with government officials at all levels. A former US Air Force officer, Schultz also served as 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.

The Forest Service Chief is responsible for the leadership and success in accomplishing the mission of the Forest Service. Established in 1905, the Forest Service manages 154 national forests and 20 grasslands across 43 states and is the foremost leader in federal forest management, research and development, and wildland firefighting.

In a statement accompanying the announcement, Schultz said:

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be the next chief of the Forest Service. 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. Chief Moore has been a diligent public servant and has demonstrated his steadfast commitment to stewarding our national forests and grasslands. We thank him for his dedication and leadership.”