Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 11, 1995 TAG: 9503130053
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Berg, 44, will join the ``ecosystem management'' staff to look for ways the agency can manage the national forests for recreation, timber, wildlife and watershed protection and other uses with the long-range, environmental impact in mind.
``No one has ever had the job before, so we don't exactly know what it is,'' she said. The Forest Service has shifted direction in recent years to manage multiple resources within natural systems.
Her move will coincide with the appointment in two or three months of a supervisor to manage the newly merged George Washington and Jefferson national forests, based in Roanoke.
During her 41/2 years with the Jefferson, much of Berg's energy was spent dealing with Appalachian Power Co.'s proposed high-voltage power line that would cut through the public lands under her care.
``I can't say it's a project that a supervisor wishes she had,'' Berg said in a phone interview. ``But it's one of the kinds of things we have to face.''
She has said in the past that it's the most complex project she has dealt with in her 20 years as a forester, and probably one of the most complex in the agency.
Apco wants to build a 115-mile transmission line from West Virginia to Cloverdale to meet future demand. About 12 miles of the 765,000-volt line would cross the Jefferson, the New River and the Appalachian Trail.
The Jefferson has taken the lead on doing an environmental impact statement that involves three federal agencies, two state governments, a powerful utility and dozens of citizen opposition groups who filed a lawsuit against the Forest Service charging denial of due process. The suit was dismissed.
The power-line controversy also has bruised the Jefferson's otherwise solid public image. In letters to the editor and in public meetings, opponents have accused Berg and her staff of duplicity, complicity with Apco and unprofessionalism.
Another round of criticism likely will follow the release, perhaps later this month, of a report by Berg that may identify more alternative routes being considered by the forest, as well as routes that may be dropped.
Apco has likewise been frustrated with the Jefferson's performance, particularly the repeated delays in publishing the draft environmental report. The company went to the regional forester, then to the chief of the Forest Service, to ask help on speeding up the process.
Charles Simmons, vice president of Apco, said he is confident the agency will meet the Oct. 20 deadline and Berg's departure likely won't have any effect on the time frame. ``Joy's been a nice person to work with; she's very pleasant. But I don't think she's been involved on a day-to-day basis on the draft,'' he said.
Power-line foes see it differently.
``I think Joy's going is an indication for us that we may be getting someone more experienced,'' Giles County resident George O'Nale said.
Through it all, Berg has maintained her sense of humor. ``I've always looked at the positive; you go nuts otherwise.''
She said she is most proud of her work on improving recreation facilities, building shelters and resolving some Appalachian Trail location disputes. She also overhauled the administration of timber sales and contracts.
Charles Blankenship, a retired Forest Service planner, lauded Berg's work on the merger between the Jefferson and George Washington forests, which could bring more money to the districts.
Berg, the first female supervisor in the Southern Region, has worked at the forest and regional levels throughout the country, including California and Alaska.
The Forest Service has historically brought in a new supervisor when two forests are merged, she said. Her new job is a lateral move, but she said she is looking forward to working in the D.C. office.
by CNB