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Case Studies
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Examples of indicators used in community working to improve their environment
Often it's easiest to learn something new by exploring what others have experienced. This chapter on case studies is intended to do just that - show you how others have used indicators to measure project outcomes. The case studies used here take a look at four different communities and their unique approach to environmental protection programs. Each case study will highlight the types of indicators they used.
By reading the case studies in this chapter, you will learn how the four programs are working toward their goals and how they are applying indicators to measure their progress. The four programs are: Guest River Group, Alexandria Seaport Foundation, Stop TOxic Pollution (S.TO.P.) and St. Paul Tomorrow. The Guest River Group and the Alexandria Seaport Foundation provide examples of how indicators have been developed and applied to measure progress. The other two cases, S.TO.P. and St. Paul Tomorrow, are examples of programs that did not consciously develop indicators, but did have a clear idea of what it meant to meet project goals. With the last two case studies, the authors have also made suggestions for indicators that the group could have used. Each case study group has identified one or more overall goals. Objective(s) are then listed for each goal and finally, indicators are listed for that objective and/or goal.
Although the four case studies have their own local focus, each is a component of broader regional efforts to improve economic, environmental and social aspects of community life. As you will see, each focuses on one of these three aspects of sustainable development. The following provides a brief description of each group's effort to work toward their goals:
Guest River Group
This case study has an environmental focus. Water quality in the Guest River has been severely damaged over the years by the coal mining industry. The Guest River Group, located in southwestern Virginia, develops programs to improve water quality in the watershed through a series of community clean-up projects and local education programs.
Alexandria Seaport Foundation
This case study has a social focus within the framework of environmental programs. Urban areas with many at-risk-youth and impacted natural environments surround Old Town Alexandria. The Alexandria Seaport Foundation uses environmental and maritime programs as tools for reaching and educating at-risk youth.
S.TO.P. in Chattanooga
This case study focuses on environmental goals with an emphasis on overall quality of life in the community. Local community organizations in the neighborhoods along Chattanooga Creek are working together to stop toxic pollution from local industries and clean up the toxic creek flowing through their neighborhoods.
St. Paul Tomorrow
This case study has an economic focus as part of an overall goal to promote a sustainable community and improve quality of life. When faced with a declining economy and a shrinking population, citizens of St. Paul joined with The Nature Conservancy to protect the Clinch River and improve their local economy.
Take the time to read each case study and discover how indicators can play a role in protecting the environment.
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