While most folks think that the US Department of Agriculture focuses on farm policy, the largest agency within USDA is the Forest Service. As secretaries of Agriculture during the Clinton and Bush administrations, we spent years getting to know what this agency does: not only timber management but also stewardship of the 193-million-acre National Forest System. But now, the Trump administration has taken significant steps to dramatically change the agency, to consolidate the firefighting work of USDA and Interior. …While some changes to the service appear warranted and well-intentioned, others have been criticized as seemingly intended to dismantle this storied institution. …During our tenures leading USDA, we both worked to streamline various programs and to right-size the workforce. …When leaders undertake significant changes, they need to be driven by data, based on compelling evidence and carefully reviewed facts — not based on ideology or simply meant to “shake things up.”