JOHN SCHWARTZ, Wetlands Biologist for the Bureau of Land Management’s La Jara Field Office in La Jara, Colorado, was selected as the Outstanding Public Land Professional Technician for 1999.

John was nominated by his peers for outstanding dedication and following the highest standards while working to protect the Blanca Wetlands.  He used tenacity and professional acumen to change dry lakes into highly productive wetlands.

He has left a legacy that few professional biologists are able to achieve in a lifetime.  He has pursued his vision for over twenty years to transform a 9,700-acre dry basin into a wetlands complex ranging from deep-water ponds to shallow playas, now considered one of the premier waterfowl and shore bird producing areas in Colorado.

Restoring the wetlands had the formula for failure because of the strong opposition to the use of water for non-agricultural purposes.