OPINION - FS REORG TACKLES COMPLEX ISSUE

OPINION

By Don Amador

April 7, 2026

 

FS REORG TACKLES COMPLEX ISSUE

 

The conversation around Forest Service reorganization is no longer confined to internal meetings—it’s happening across fire camps, trail systems, partner roundtables, and rural communities. And while perspectives vary, there is a shared recognition of one thing:

 

 

For decades, the agency has operated within a structure that hasn’t fully kept pace with today’s realities—longer fire seasons, growing recreation demand, workforce constraints, and rapidly advancing technology. The current reorganization effort reflects that awareness and offers an opportunity to better align how the agency delivers on its mission.

 

 

A defining feature of today’s landscape is the essential role of partners. State and local agencies, Tribes, nonprofits, and recreation groups are no longer supplemental—they are central to getting work done. From maintaining trails to restoring forests and reducing wildfire risk, these partnerships are already shaping outcomes on the ground. Any successful reform must recognize and strengthen this shared stewardship model.

 

At the same time, those closest to wildfire response are asking difficult—but necessary—questions. As costs rise and workforce strain increases, there is growing interest in whether current systems are fully aligned with long-term resilience and efficiency. This isn’t about second-guessing the importance of suppression—it’s about ensuring the broader system supports sustainable outcomes.

 

Reform will succeed if it strikes the right balance—modernizing systems while preserving local knowledge, improving efficiency without losing responsiveness, and elevating partnerships as core to mission delivery.

 

This is a rare moment to make meaningful, lasting improvements. Getting it right will require not just structural change, but a continued commitment to collaboration, adaptability, and shared purpose.

 

Because in the end, the goal is the same for everyone involved: healthier forests, safer communities, and access to the public lands that connect us all.

 

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Don Amador has been in the trail advocacy and recreation management profession for 35 years.   Don is President of Quiet Warrior Racing LLC. Don serves as the Western States Representative for the Motorcycle Industry Council. Don is Past President/CEO and current board member of the Post Wildfire OHV Recovery Alliance.  Don is a Co-Founder and Core-Team member on FireScape Mendocino, a forest health collaborative that is part of the National Fire Learning Network.  Don served as an AD Driver for the Forest Service North Zone Fire Cache during the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Fire Seasons.