WATER SENSATIVE URBAN DESIGN - Kevin Butler (Environment Officer Wyong Shire Council) and Kristy Winter

We plan to talk about the integration of research, planning and education (in the broadest sense) in the "WSUD (Water Sensative Urban Design) above wetlands" project that the EPA is funding. This project is endeavouring to answer the question "How do you tailor water sensitive design in new developments with the ecological needs of downstream wetlands?" Porters Creek Wetland and its catchment is the major case study for this project but arising out of it Peter Breen has developed a typology of 17 different wetland types and made judgements
about the wetting and drying needs of each type of wetland.  We have already applied the methodology to the stormwater system for theproposed Woolworth's Regional Distribution Centre (ie big warehouse) at Warnervale Business Park.  We have also developed a wetland monitoring program to evaluate its results in future. This project is about changing the way we do environmental management.The educational aspect of this project is in the way we are shifting knowledge and practice among a range of professionals -- engineers, planners, scientists and developers. So the story is potentially interesting for a wide audience including science teachers, geographers, planners and environmental educators in general.