THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Monday, April 17, 1995                 TAG: 9504170058
SECTION: LOCAL                    PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS 
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG                          LENGTH: Medium:   53 lines

BEETLE-RAVAGED PARK TO BE CLEANED UP BY NATIONAL GUARD

First, there was the beetle invasion. Now a unit of the Virginia National Guard is planning 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, which invaded central Virginia as early as 1990, killed more than 8 million trees by 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. L. 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 decided to 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. Materials needed for that work include gravel, dirt and pipe.

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

The soldiers will prepare and plant explosives, but will leave the job of detonating to the park rangers. That way, there is little chance for a fire to ignite.

``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 participated in similar projects throughout the state. Guard members have cleared land in Nottoway County, Richmond and southwest Virginia, he said. by CNB