Community Profile

White Plains

White Plains, NY

Thomas Roach

Mayor

Pledge Summary

White Plains is a diverse city with a resident population of 60,000 and a daytime population between 150 and 200K. We are 10 square miles with large apartment towers downtown as well as forested areas preserved by the city. We have a focus on the environment and lead the region in charging stations, solar installations etc. We are committed to the use of native plants and trees throughout our city. We recently included a large pollinator garden as part of the reconstruction of our library plaza which has been a great success. At the ribbon cutting swallow tail and monarch caterpillars were already present. If you build it they will come! We are currently planning the reforestation of a former parking lot with native trees and a native meadow intended to support native species including the Monarch!

Community Spotlight

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.)
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.
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 Homeowners Associations (HOAs), Community Associations or neighborhood organizations to identify opportunities to plant monarch gardens and revise maintenance and mowing programs.
Engage with developers, planners, landscape architects, and other community leaders and organizers engaged in planning processes to identify opportunities to create monarch habitat.
Create a community-driven educational conservation strategy, initiative, or practice that focuses on and benefits local, underserved residents.

Program and Demonstration Gardens ▸

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 monarch neighborhood challenge to engage neighborhoods and homeowners' associations within the community to increase awareness, support community unity around a common mission, and/or create habitat for the monarch butterfly.
Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar-producing plants in gardens in the community.
Launch, expand, or continue an invasive species removal program that will support the re-establishment of native habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.

Systems Change ▸

Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats.
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 Thomas Roach	2022	4/7/2022		View Pledge

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Action Item Report