Early morning fog drifts over the mountain town of Whitesburg in rural Eastern Kentucky. A University of Kentucky lab dedicated to studying forest resilience and conservation across the Eastern U.S. now faces closure under a sweeping federal restructuring plan announced by the U.S. Forest Service last week.
University officials confirmed that the Forest Health Research and Education Center, a Lexington-based U.S. Forest Service research and development facility located on UK’s campus, is included in the list of sites slated to shut down. It remains uncertain when the closure will take place or whether the center’s mission—addressing threats such as invasive pests, diseases, wildfires, climate change, and land-use changes—will continue.
A university spokesperson said officials are “continuing to evaluate the impact to our program.”
Established in 2015 through a partnership between the Forest Service’s Southern Research Station, the University of Kentucky, and the Kentucky Division of Forestry, the center serves as a hub for scientific research and public awareness on pests and pathogens that damage tree species and reduce forest productivity.
The facility is one of 57 research sites across 31 states that the Forest Service plans to close under a consolidation effort. Agency officials say the move will align research priorities, speed up the use of scientific findings, and cut administrative redundancy. Critics argue the plan is “short-sighted” and could weaken critical research into how wildfires, drought, pests, and other external factors affect forest ecosystems nationwide.
“This is a loss not only for Kentucky but a tremendous loss nationwide,” said Dave Leonard, a certified arborist in Lexington and former president of the Kentucky Arborists’ Association. “It’s a terrible setback for years of service.”
Most research operations will shift to a centralized service center in Fort Collins, Colorado, while the Forest Service headquarters will move from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, according to the agency.
The U.S. Forest Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, also plans to close all nine regional offices, including the Southern Region 8 headquarters in Atlanta. That office oversees about 900,000 acres of forest land in Kentucky, including the Daniel Boone National Forest, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, and parts of the Jefferson National Forest in southeastern Kentucky.
Mary O’Malley, a public affairs officer for the Daniel Boone National Forest, said there will be no staffing changes at forest or district offices. However, some research and development roles may shift, and employees could be asked to relocate, according to a March 31 email from Forest Service Chief Thomas Schultz Jr.
This marks the second major change to federal public lands management under President Donald Trump. In 2019, the administration moved the Bureau of Land Management headquarters from Washington to Grand Junction, Colorado, leading to widespread staff resignations. President Joe Biden reversed that move in 2021, returning the agency to Washington.
Critics say the latest restructuring threatens vital forest science work. Research units like the University of Kentucky’s center were intentionally distributed nationwide, relying on small, local teams to build specialized expertise and encourage student interest in forestry.
“It’s a complete assault on science-based forest management,” said Ed Macie, a retired U.S. Forest Service regional urban forester from North Carolina. “It’s likely to set us back many years and have a serious impact on forest health and education.”
Macie added that certain universities are uniquely equipped to lead specialized forestry research due to their location and expertise. Losing these partnerships could disrupt long-established collaborations.
The Forest Health Research and Education Center was launched with a $350,000 grant, supplemented by $210,000 from the university and state forestry division, along with $300,000 in private funding. It was designed to operate on a $1.6 million annual budget, largely funded by the university and forestry division, with additional federal support each year.
It remains unclear whether those funding levels have been maintained. A university spokesperson said the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources is still reviewing the Forest Service’s announcement, while the Kentucky Division of Forestry has not yet responded to inquiries.
Kentucky’s hardwood forests, like many across the Southeast and Eastern U.S., depend on key tree species threatened by fungi such as sudden oak death and pests like the emerald ash borer and hemlock woolly adelgid. Oaks alone account for about half of the state’s hardwood timber harvest and contribute over $12 billion to the economy, largely due to the bourbon industry, which relies on new oak barrels.
The center aimed to tackle these challenges through scientific research, outreach programs, and stakeholder education, helping strengthen forest resilience and management practices.
Most researchers at the center were affiliated with the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Director C. Dana Nelson was listed as a former Forest Service employee as of March 10.
Administrative offices operated out of the T.P. Cooper building, while laboratory work took place in the Plant Science Building. Field research was conducted at Robinson Forest, a state nursery in Morgan County, and university greenhouses.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesperson said the number of additional relocations beyond those already identified remains unknown, but the transition will roll out in phases.
“Employees will receive clear guidance on relocation timelines, available options, and support resources,” the spokesperson said.
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