EARTH SUMMIT+5 Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise the Implementation of Agenda 21 New York, 23-27 June 1997 SUCCESS STORIES FROM THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

	Protecting and Managing the Community's Water Resources
	Location	West Springfield, Mass., USA
	Responsible organization	Charlie Spancer, a Secular Franciscan and member of Franciscan International.
	Description	Maintenance and protection of the Bear Hole Watershed, West Springfield.
	Issues addressed	Protection of water resources and of their quality for future generations.
	Objectives	Maintenance and management of existing water resources in the area, sensitizing the Department of Environmental Protection and the public on various problems affecting the Bear Hole watershed and establishing four main areas to: limit the illegal target shooting at Lost Pon, which leaves large deposit of lead bullets on the bottom of the pond. Stopping sediment against barriers created to halt contamination of rock and sand from a quarry next to the reservoir, now sliding down a steep embarkment into wetlands which filter the reservoir water. Eliminating the potentially contaminating 30-foot high pile of used road asphalt placed 50 feet away from the water supply. Setting resource protection rules for the new Residential Development Plan, Prospect Woods Estate, which is now being constructed in the watershed.
	Results achieved	After the Community petition to the Department of Environmental Protection, the local watershed area has been cleaned by Public works employees and received a partial approval by the Department of Environmental Protection. The residents remain vigilant and continue to inspect the area to protect and safeguard the watershed quality.
	Lessons learned	Continuous vigilance to ensure the protection and proper management of community's resources.
	Financing	Volunteering actions by citizens.
	Contact	Charlie Spencer Franciscans International, 323 E 47th St, New York 10017 NY - USA Tel. 1.212-371 4076 / Fax. 1.212-371-3965 email:franintl@undp.org Web Page: http://listserv.american.edu/catholic/franciscan/fi/fi.htlm