Forest Service Lab in Wenatchee to Close

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is closing the U.S Forest Service (USFS) Forestry Sciences Laboratory in Wenatchee.

Wenatchee Lab Among Nationwide Closures

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This comes as the USFS Forest Service headquarters will move from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City. The USDA described the move as a "common-sense approach to improve mission delivery."

Why the Forest Service Is Restructuring

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In addition to relocation, the Forest Service will also start a transition to a state-based organizational model where 15 state directors will be distributed throughout the country to oversee Forest Service operations within one or more states. For Washington, the research and development facilities office will be located in Olympia.

In addition, the Forest Service is also planning to consolidate research operations leadership, going from governing structures in multiple research stations to a single research organization located in Fort Collins, Colorado.

What Happens to Local Employees

It is unclear if employees at regional offices, like Wenatchee, will be able to relocate, though the Forest Service said it will provide employees and partners with detailed transition guidance as different milestones approach.

History of the Wenatchee Lab

The Wenatchee Forestry Sciences Laboratory was originally established in 1963 as the "Wenatchee Soils and Water Lab," focused on water quality and hydrology.

The lab sits at the foot of the eastern side of the Cascade Range on 1133 N Western Avenue. It was credited as sitting at the "front line" of placing the latest science into the hands of resource managers, and staff from national forests frequently relied on the lab for conference space.

Broader Impact Across Washington

The research lab in Seattle will also close, along with nearly five dozen other facilities nationwide.