Community Profile

City of Lawrence KS

Lawrence , KS

Lisa Larsen

Mayor

Pledge Summary

With a deep appreciation for diversity, education, arts, parks, recreation, and community, Lawrence prides itself on being independent of its counterparts in the region. Lawrence, with a population of more than 100,000, is home to Haskell Indian Nations University and the University of Kansas. Lawrence boasts many amenities of larger cities while maintaining the Midwestern small-town charm that its residents value. Lawrence was founded on the banks of the Kansas River in 1854. Located between the Kansas City metropolitan area and the State's capital of Topeka, Lawrence is the county seat of Douglas County. In some of the community parks, we have plants for pollinators through the use of butterfly gardens. We also host programs to educate the public about what they can do to assist the continued support of pollinators.

Community Spotlight

Action Items Committed for 2023

Communications and Convening ▸

Issue a proclamation to raise awareness about the decline of the monarch butterfly and the species’ need for habitat. This proclamation must incorporate a focus on monarch conservation.
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.
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).
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.

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 an effort to change municipal planting ordinances and practices to include more native milkweed and native nectar producing plants at city properties.
Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats.
Remove milkweed from the list of noxious plants in city weed / landscaping ordinances (if applicable).

Past Pledge Archive

Mayor Name	Program Year	Pledge Date	Achievement
Mayor Lisa Larsen	2023	3/24/2023		View Pledge
Mayor Courtney Shipley	2022	3/28/2022	Signatories	View Pledge

Pledge Status

Pledge Date

Program Year

Links and Uploads

Action Item Report