Community Profile

Pledge Status

Request for More Info

Pledge Date

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Program Year

2021

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Action Item Report

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Village of Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich, IL

Tom Poynton

Mr

Pledge Summary

Lake Zurich is a suburban Chicago village with many natural areas, wetlands and oak woodlands that are wonderful habitats for monarchs and other pollinators. It also has residents, a village board and staff who are willing to help save the monarch. With the help of a local conservation group, milkweed and other pollinator plants are being distributed and planted. Frequent educational classes in environmentally friendly landscaping are presented. The Village supports the restoration of local natural areas to improve pollinator habitat. This is a community which cares about our local environment and the plight of the monarch.

Community Spotlight

Action Items Committed for 2021

Communications and Convening

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

Program and Demonstration Gardens

  • Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap.
  • Facilitate or support a milkweed seed collection and propagation effort.
  • Plant or maintain a monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration garden at City Hall or another prominent or culturally significant community location.
  • Plant milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants along roadsides, medians, or public rights-of-way.
  • 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).
  • Display educational signage at monarch gardens and pollinator habitat.

Systems Change

  • Remove milkweed from the list of noxious plants in city weed / landscaping ordinances (if applicable).