ROANOKE TIMES 

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

DATE: MONDAY, April 17, 1995                   TAG: 9504170095
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

VA. SENDS GUARD TO CAMP

First, there was the beetle invasion. Now, a unit of the Virginia National Guard plans an assault on Holliday Lake State Park.

Using explosives, bulldozers, grading machines and bucket loaders, the soldiers will demolish stumps left after the encampment of deadly southern pine beetles at the Appomattox County park.

The beetles invaded central Virginia as early as 1990, burrowing through the trunks of pine trees. The insects killed trees by keeping vital nutrients from the top branches.

The beetles killed more than 8 million trees statewide, with long-term losses of $1 billion. Then-Gov. Douglas Wilder declared a natural disaster in 1993 in the state's pine forests and asked state agencies to assist affected landowners.

Holliday Lake was no exception. The tree damage reduced the number of available campsites from 40 to 15.

``The southern pine bark beetles basically took out all the trees at Holliday Lake State Park,'' said Gary Waugh, a spokesman for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Park officials will close the park today to clean up. The park will reopen with 30 campsites May 26.

Using the National Guard unit will give the soldiers their required training and save the state money. Waugh said hiring a private contractor to do the job would cost more than $30,000.

``All we require is that our fuel be paid for and that all material is provided,'' said Maj. Steven Goins.

In addition to demolishing stumps, the 25 members of the unit will regrade roads and campsites, install culverts and landscape the campground.

They will use the same skills they would use in developing temporary roads and bridges and creating obstacles for advancing armies in combat, Goins said.

The soldiers will prepare and plant explosives, but will leave the detonating to the park rangers.

``This particular area is cleared,'' Goins said, ``We will not be in the woods. It's in an existing campsite.''

Goins said the Guard has cleared land in similar projects in Southwest Virginia, Nottoway County and Richmond. 


 by CNB