Community Profile

Pledge Status

Complete

Pledge Date

Tuesday, February 15, 2022

Program Year

2022

Achievement

Signatories

2022

Links and Uploads

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Action Item Report

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City of Mesa

Mesa, AZ

John Giles

Mayor

Pledge Summary

The City of Mesa is a part of a large metropolitan area in Arizona that is located in the beautiful desert Southwest. Mesa has been fortunate to be able to work with Southwest Monarch Study, a nonprofit researching the migration and breeding patterns of monarch butterflies in Arizona and the Southwestern U. S. Through their efforts, we know that there is much more to learn about the wild monarch migration throughout our region. With a size of 138 square miles and a population of over 500,000 residents, it just makes sense that we can and should be mindful of ways to enhance habitat for these and other pollinators and to encourage our greater community to do the same. It is an honor for me to support this initiative from the National Wildlife Federation and to join hundreds of other mayors in this effort.

Community Spotlight

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Monarch Haven and Reading Sanctuary

This pocket park, located at Red Mountain Library, is a place for monarchs, other butterflies, and the community. Enjoy butterfly-friendly plants, benches for reading, and a walking labyrinth for meditation in this serene desert landscape.

Learn More

Action Items Committed for 2022

Communications and Convening

  • 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

  • Display educational signage at monarch gardens and pollinator habitat.
  • Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar-producing plants in gardens in the community.
  • Launch or maintain an outdoor education program(s) (e.g., at schools, after-school programs, community centers and groups) that builds awareness and creates habitat by engaging students, educators, and the community in planting native milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants (i.e., National Wildlife Federation’s Schoolyard Habitats program and Monarch Mission curriculum).
  • 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.