Less than a year after the Trump administration dismissed hundreds of US Forest Service workers over Group Chat, the agency is working to hire up to 2,000 seasonal employees to manage more than 193 million acres of forestland across 154 national forests in preparation for this year’s summer recreational season.
In announcing the new plans, Brooke Rollins, Trump’s Agriculture Secretary, late last week said the move comes after the USDA addressed millions of dollars in salary deficits inherited from past administrations: “The Forest Service is now on a path to fiscal solvency and able to fill these critical seasonal positions to improve services for visitors this summer.”
To do this, the agency has streamlined its hiring process and shortened recruitment timelines, allowing seasonal workers to start earlier and opening opportunities for rural residents to secure jobs closer to home. At the same time, the US Forest Service has reported rising visitation across national forests, which is increasing pressure on recreation sites, trail systems, and maintenance crews.
“Hiring these seasonal positions is essential to delivering the services visitors rely on,” according to US Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “Our seasonal employees are active members of the communities they serve. They keep forests open and accessible, campgrounds and other facilities clean, and neighbouring towns thriving. It’s a direct investment in the people who make our national forests and grasslands special.”
Many of the new roles will be based in Oregon’s Mount Hood, Willamette, and other national forests surrounding Portland, Salem, and Eugene, with positions in recreation services, maintenance, and resource management — areas that have faced shortages as visitation has climbed and budgets have tightened.
“This year, we’re focusing our recruitment within the communities we serve,” Schultz said. “Local residents bring invaluable knowledge, pride, and a strong connection to the places we care for. We are excited to offer more opportunities for people who want to work close to home.”
Wood Central understands that the new recruitment blitz comes on top of the Forest Service’s annual fire‑season recruitment, with the agency encouraging people interested in outdoor work to monitor local hiring events and job postings.
