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In his 1969 book, Design With Nature, Ian McHarg pioneered the concept of environmental planning. “So, I commend Design with Nature to your sympathetic consideration. The title contains a gradient of meaning. It can be interpreted as simply descriptive of a planning method, deferential to places and peoples, it can invoke the Grand Design, it can emphasize the conjunction with and, finally it can be read as an imperative. DESIGN WITH NATURE!,” wrote Ian McHarg.

“Avoidance of a future financial liability is a driver for Sustainable Service Delivery. This starts with land use and watershed-based planning. No matter what level of Asset Management implementation a local government is at, the key message is that including nature, natural resource management and natural services into their thinking should be done at the beginning – and the beginning has everything to do with planning,” stated Glen Brown.

The volume-based approach that is being implemented in British Columbia picks up the baton that Dr. Ray Linsley started more than a generation ago. As a professor at Stanford University, Linsley pioneered the development of continuous hydrologic simulation as the foundation for water balance management. He was a true giant of the profession through distinguished teaching, research, professional practice and service to government.

“This article makes important comparisons between stormwater management in the US and Canada. Although both are moving toward greater use of green infrastructure, the differences in approach are significant…. and practitioners in the US can learn a great deal from BC’s approach,” stated Janice Kaspersen.