Details of the next competition are in the works and will be reported later.

However, it is important for vegetation managers to know something about this year's winners to be awarded on Earth Day in Washington D.C. other awards are being given for air quality improvements, noise abatement, environmental research, archaeological resources, community livability, non-motorized transportation, environmental process, and environmental leadership.

Excellence in Wetlands and Other Ecosystems

The 1999 winner is Arizona State Route 87. This environmentally and visually sensitive project is an example of what the Arizona Department of Transportation and 50 stakeholders were able to accomplish on a mitigation project. This highway segment is a primary fink between Phoenix recreational opportunities in and beyond the Tonto National Forest.

The planners and designers strove to find a solution that would "lay easy on the land." it will be the standard for all future roadway designs within the Tonto National Forest. Excellence in Wetlands and Other Ecosystems

Also in this category was the Indian Lake Restoration project by the Blue Earth County Highway Department, along with other Minnesota partners. Due to a bypass construction for the City of Mankato, the County was required to mitigate impacts to wetlands. The natural choice was a 50-acre basin, known as Indian Lake, which had been drained and farmed since 1920. The success of the lake restoration depended on the preservation of the surrounding uplands. Blue Earth County acquired 70 acres of forested valley uplands around the lake. The resulting restoration/mitigation project is a 120 acre regional park for generations to come.

Excellence in Historical Resources

Respect of nature and culture were accomplished on the Going-To-The-Sun Road, a Logan Pass section in Glacier National Park by the Western Federal Lands Highway Division. The original design of the road blended civil engineering and landscape architecture to provide vistas of the natural and cultural beauty of the park. That original effort possesses such integrity that it was designated a National Historic Landmark. Now it was in need of major rehabilitation.

The project was an example of using modem engineering techniques to reduce safety hazards, correct operational problems, while protecting important historical resource.

Excellence in Water Quality

The Nevada Department of Transportation did a water quality demonstration project on Route 28. Because Lake Tahoe is one of the clearest large lakes in the world, this project aimed to identify solutions to protect its water quality. The challenges included transportation, maintenance, environmental and agency coordination. A three-year monitoring program showed a reduction of pollutants into the lake is possible with the help of a 15 agency partnership.