Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve - Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Supervising Biologist Terri Stewart has accepted a Coastal America Partnership Award for her work on the Bolsa Chica Wetlands Restoration Team. Stewart was part of an eight-agency team receiving awards for the project in recognition of their dedication and perseverance to a successful recovery of the largest coastal wetlands in Southern California.

"The cooperation among citizens and agencies was amazing," said Stewart. "Agency staff and local environmental groups who worked on this project before me and those who will work on this project in the future share a vision of what a coastal wetland can be, how to get it done and how to conserve it."

The Coastal America Partnership was established in 1991 by President George H. Bush, formalizing commitments to integrate efforts with state, local and non-governmental activities to achieve better management of coastal resources. In 1997, Coastal America established an awards program to recognize outstanding team efforts over 25 years to restore and protect the coastal environment.

The 2007 award recipients for the Bolsa Chica Wetlands Restoration Team are:
?Ģ Terri Stewart - California Department of Fish and Game Supervising Biologist San Diego Region
?Ģ Mike Chrisman - California Secretary for Resources
?Ģ Melanie Denninger - California Coastal Conservancy Project Manager
?Ģ James F. Trout - Retired , California State Lands Commission
?Ģ Rick Ludlow - Retired, California State Lands Commission
?Ģ Tom Yocom - U. S. Environmental Protection Agency Wetland Expert
?Ģ Larry Smith - Los Angeles District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager
?Ģ Robert Hoffman - National Marine Fisheries Service Assistant Regional Administrator Habitat Conservation
?Ģ Jack Fancher - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Coastal Program Chief
?Ģ Robert Hight - Former DFG Director and State Lands Commission Director

"Through the collaborative efforts of federal, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector, an outstanding environmental victory was achieved for the Orange Country area by the Bolsa Chica project team," said Jim Connaughton, Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and Chair of Coastal America. "The team's efforts resulted in the largest, most complex, coastal wetland restoration project in Southern California and a win-win for the environment and the community."

Looking over the marshlands, Stewart noted that the judicious planning of this project and management of long term funding options will provide operation and maintenance funding for DFG personnel managing these resources.