Merger proposal for Bridger-Teton and Caribou-Targhee National Forests not recommended
by Caribou-Targhee National Forest
January 22, 2013
Bridger Teton NF Supervisor Jacqueline A. Buchanan and Caribou-Targhee NF Supervisor Brent Larson recommended to the Intermountain Regional Forester that consolidation of the two forests is not in the best interest of the public. Acting Regional Forester Marlene Finley concurred with the recommendation.
In October 2012 then Regional Forester Harv Forsgren, asked the two forest supervisors to evaluate the opportunity to gain efficiencies and save money between the two forests. "The goal is to find ways to reduce fixed costs, reduce duplication of administrative work and increase program delivery and work to the ground," Forsgren stated in the letter. The letter also indicates that options would need at least $1 million in savings each year to be viable.
After significant analysis, it was determined there wouldn’t be sufficient cost savings to combine Forests, and that the services the Forests provide to the public and the resource would be negatively impacted.
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