The Trump administration is poised to pick a Forest Service chief with no significant experience inside the agency.
Organizations and individuals who work with the Forest Service on a regular basis said the likely pick is Tom Schultz, a former Idaho timber industry executive who was hired in December as chief of staff for the Agriculture Department’s natural resources and environment office. An announcement could come as soon as Thursday.
The Forest Service didn’t immediately return a message Thursday seeking to confirm the choice.
Schultz’s likely selection raises the prospect that retiring chief Randy Moore, who put together a four-decade career with the Forest Service before rising to the top in 2021, could be the last to hold the position after a long Forest Service career for years, these individuals said.
