Community Profile

Pledge Status

Complete

Pledge Date

Thursday, April 6, 2023

Program Year

2023

Achievement

Leadership Circle

2023

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Action Item Report

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City of Denton

Denton, TX

Gerard Hudspeth

Mayor

Pledge Summary

The City of Denton is a vibrant and growing community that is home to two state universities, the University of North Texas and Texas Woman's University. With a combined enrollment of over 50,000 students, the universities attract all walks of life and bring in a variety of cultural, sports, and entertainment amenities to the Denton community. The City is also known for its music and arts community and strong commitment to sustainability through actions such as its 100% renewable electricity supply. Since becoming a member of Monarch City USA and Bee City USA, the City of Denton has shown its commitment to pollinator protection through the creation of pollinator gardens and the development of numerous gardening workshops and events, such as Monarch Madness.

Community Spotlight

Action Items Committed for 2023

Communications and Convening

  • 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.
  • Engage with community garden groups and urge them to plant native milkweeds and nectar-producing plants.
  • 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

  • Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar-producing plants in gardens in the community.
  • Earn or maintain recognition for being a wildlife-friendly city by participating in other wildlife and habitat conservation efforts (i.e., National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program).
  • Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap.

Systems Change

  • Reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals that are harmful to monarchs and pollinators and urban wildlife.
  • Integrate monarch butterfly conservation into the city’s Park Master Plan, Sustainability Plan, Climate Resiliency Plan or other city plans.
  • Launch, expand, or continue one or more ordinances to reduce light pollution to benefit urban wildlife.