Community Profile

Pledge Status

Complete

Pledge Date

Tuesday, December 5, 2023

Program Year

2024

Achievement

Signatories

2024

Links and Uploads

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Action Item Report

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City of La Crosse

La Crosse, WI

Mitch Reynolds

Mayor

Pledge Summary

Nestled between the banks of Mississippi River and the bluffs of the Driftless Region, La Crosse is a vibrant community boasting a variety of natural resources and opportunities for recreational activity. The city's breathtaking landscapes offer endless hiking, biking, fishing, and kayaking opportunities. The community has taken several steps to protect these vital species, including planting native wildflowers and milkweed, reducing pesticide use, and educating the public on the importance of pollinators. These efforts have helped maintain the ecological balance and created a beautiful and sustainable environment for residents and visitors alike.

Community Spotlight

Action Items Committed for 2024

Communications and Convening

  • Engage with Homeowners Associations (HOAs), Community Associations or neighborhood organizations to identify opportunities to plant monarch gardens and revise maintenance and mowing programs.
  • Engage with gardening leaders and partners (e.g., Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, Nature Centers, Native Plant Society Chapters , other long-standing and influential community leaders) to support monarch butterfly conservation.
  • Engage with city parks and recreation, public works, sustainability, and other relevant staff to identify opportunities to revise and maintain mowing programs and milkweed / native nectar plant planting programs.

Program and Demonstration Gardens

  • Display educational signage at monarch gardens and pollinator habitat.
  • Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar-producing plants in gardens in the community.
  • Plant or maintain a monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration garden at City Hall or another prominent or culturally significant community location.

Systems Change

  • Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats.