
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 17, 1995                   TAG: 9502170035
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: SARAH HUNTLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FOREST MERGER GETS OK

The U.S. Forest Service has approved a proposal to merge the administrations of the two national forests in Virginia in an effort to scale back on overhead costs and improve services.

The cost-cutting measure, which is expected to save $2 million annually, will take two or three years to phase in completely, forest spokesman Dave Olson said, so visitors are unlikely to notice immediate changes.

In the long run, the forest staff hopes the merger will result ``in a better flow of dollars'' to the ranger districts, Olson said. More money at the local level would mean better maintenance, new trails and enhanced recreational programs for the more than 19 million people who visit the forests each year, he said.

Spending for national forests is controlled by Congress, but Olson said ``every attempt will be made to maintain the current budget,'' so the money saved will go back into the forests.

``There is no guarantee,'' he said. ``If Congress makes cuts to overall spending for forests, we might have to take on a percentage of that; but we've been promised we won't be singled out or targeted for additional cuts.''

The Appalachian mountain forests, which now will be known collectively as the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, comprise 1.8 million acres in Virginia, 125,387 acres in West Virginia and 961 acres in Kentucky.

The 12 ranger districts of the two forests will remain where they are, but the headquarters will be based in the Jefferson's new headquarters building at the Valleypointe Corporate Park in Roanoke County. Some staff will remain at the George Washington Forest's office in Harrisonburg, but the number there is expected to drop from 76 to 20.

Olson said most of the staffing cuts will be made through attrition and relocation. Some job shifting already has occurred, and 12 George Washington Forest employees will be transferred to the Roanoke County headquarters in March.

Jefferson National Forest Supervisor Joy Berg and the acting supervisor in the Harrisonburg office will lead the combined forest until a newly defined supervisor position can be established and filled. The new position, which is likely to include increased responsibilities and a higher salary, should be advertised in the next few months, Olson said.

by CNB