Three University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Landscape Architecture students were highlighted in the May issue of Landscape Architecture magazine after sweeping the individual category in a national design competition. The National Low Impact Development Student Competition, sponsored by Prince George's County, Md., the University of Maryland and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, drew entries from many talented groups and individuals from around the country. There were 21 individual entries and 27 group entries in the competition from 12 programs or universities in the disciplines of landscape architecture, architecture, civil engineering, planning/urban design and environmental science. The competition invited students to submit design and planning problems and solutions that respond to the innovative and creative use of low impact development techniques in the built environment. Low Impact Development (LID) is an integrated site design approach for addressing hydrologic and environmental impacts associated with conventional land development. Developers and builders can save money and reduce environmental impacts in a practical manner utilizing LID techniques and practices.UK Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture Brian Lee used the competition as part of the curriculum in his housing and community planning design studio during the 2004 fall semester. He chose a 172-acre watershed, including 75,000-seat Commonwealth Stadium, an eroding stream, the UK Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Arboretum Park, several parking lots and the E.S. Good Barn on the UK campus. Lee said the project was the start of a great long-term learning opportunity for these students, who were in their fourth year of a five-year program.“They would be seeing the project area for another two years,” he said. “Every time it rains, they can show how this could work better.”Nine students submitted their projects to the EPA competition and three won top honors.Ryan Bandy, UK landscape architecture senior from Lexington, won first place for his entry, which employed a variety of techniques. He designed buffer strips along the stream and large underground water storage systems.“I was familiar with some of the concepts but had never done a project where LID was the focus,” he said. “It especially affected the way I approach new design projects.”The EPA awarded $28,000 to 20 students and another $25,000 to seven universities’ landscape architecture programs. Bandy used his award money to fund a study-abroad trip to New Zealand. Second place went to Christopher Barkley, Knoxville, Tenn., and third place to Christian Comer of Hartford.The links to view individual projects online are:Bandy – http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/LA/lid_bandy.pdfBarkley – http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/LA/lid_barkley.pdfComer – http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/LA/lid_comer.pdf