Los Padres Forest gets new leader

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

With one of California’s largest wild fires burning within its boundaries, a change of guard within the top management ranks of the Los Padres National Forest was announced yesterday with the appointment of Peggy Hernandez as the forest’s lead supervisor.
Hernandez will take the reins of the 1.76 million acre Los Padres National Forest, which runs from the Big Sur coast to the Ventura, Los Angeles County line, on Oct. 1.

“I look forward to working with the local communities and partners interested in the management and protection of this magnificent national forest,” Hernandez said. “I want to know what the public wants and needs from the Los Padres, and find ways we can work together to meet those needs.”
Hernandez replaces Gloria Brown, who had been at the post since 2004 and retired on July 3 -- one day before the Zaca Fire was ignited by a stray spark of a pipe grinding operation on private property near Zaca Lake.
Kathy Good, a spokeswoman for the Forest Service, said Deputy Forest Supervisor Ken Heffner took over as the interim supervisor while the the supervisor position was being filled.
Good said the lack of a permanent forest supervisor has not negatively impacted the way the Forest Service has managed the stubborn Zaca Fire.
“It really has been seamless,” Good said.
Of the 18 national forests in California, Good said the Los Padres National Forest, with its 220 mile stretch from one end to the other, is one of the state’s largest.
“This is a very complicated forest,” Good said. “There will be a lot of variety and many interesting challenges ahead for her [Hernandez].”
Some challenging aspects of managing a forest the size of Los Padres, according to Good, is the need to efficiently manage tourist and recreational use, a robust fire management program and maintain habitat for endangered species.
But regardless of the challenges, her peers say Hernandez is the right woman for the job.
“Peggy’s combination of leadership ability, technical skills and vast breadth of experience will serve the Los Padres very well,” said Regional Forester Bernie Weingardt. “Peggy’s work in the field as well as the regional and Washington, D.C. levels has given her a strong background in fire, recreation and other ongoing Los Padres issues such as commercial special uses and land acquisition. She is very deserving of this promotion.”
Hernandez, 48, was born in Visalia, CA and earned a bachelor degree in natural resources management from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in 1982.
After years of working at various posts in the Forest Service, Hernandez went to Washington, D.C. in 2000, where she worked as a congressional fellow with Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy.
Since 2001 Hernandez has remained in California where she has held several positions at the regional Forest Service level.
“I’m very excited and honored to have been selected for the Los Padres Forest Supervisor position,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez will work out of the Goleta Forest Service office.