Community Profile

Pledge Status

Complete

Pledge Date

Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Program Year

2022

Achievement

2022

Links and Uploads

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Action Item Report

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City of Seymour

SEYMOUR, IN

Matt Nicholson

Mayor

Pledge Summary

Seymour is the "Small Town" that singer/songwriter John Mellencamp wrote about in the lyrics to his hit song "Small Town." Located in south central Indiana, the city has a growing population of around 21,000. We have several public parks, one of which is home to our new pollinator garden started in 2021. We also have several downtown green spaces for the public to gather. Last year was the first year for our Monarch Pledge and we hope to do even more this year to strengthen our commitment to monarch and pollinator conservation.

Community Spotlight

Action Items Committed for 2022

Communications and Convening ▸

Create a community art project to enhance and promote monarch and pollinator conservation as well as cultural awareness and recognition.
Create a community-driven educational conservation strategy, initiative, or practice that focuses on and benefits local, underserved residents.
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.
Launch or maintain a public communication effort to encourage residents to plant monarch gardens at their homes or in their neighborhoods. (If you have community members who speak a language other than English, we encourage you to also communicate in that language; Champion Pledges must communicate in that language.)

Program and Demonstration Gardens ▸

Launch, expand, or continue an invasive species removal program that will support the re-establishment of native habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
Plant milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants along roadsides, medians, or public rights-of-way.
Plant or maintain a monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration garden at City Hall or another prominent or culturally significant community location.
Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap.

Systems Change ▸

Integrate monarch butterfly conservation into the city’s Park Master Plan, Sustainability Plan, Climate Resiliency Plan or other city plans.
Launch, expand, or continue an effort to change municipal planting ordinances and practices to include more native milkweed and native nectar producing plants at city properties.

Past Pledge Archive

Mayor Name	Program Year	Pledge Date	Achievement
Mayor Matt Nicholson	2023	3/31/2023		View Pledge
Mayor Matt Nicholson	2022	12/21/2021	Leadership Circle	View Pledge
Mayor Matt Nicholson	2021	3/29/2021	Signatories	View Pledge