Community Profile

Pledge Status

Active

Pledge Date

Friday, March 6, 2026

Program Year

2026

Links and Uploads

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Action Item Report

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City of Riverside

Riverside, CA

Patricia Lock Dawson

Mayor

Pledge Summary

The City of Riverside has a proud history of promoting healthy living spaces including native plants and fostering areas of growth for natural habitats for insects and wildlife. With a population of roughly 326,000, the city is home to the historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, the beautiful Santa Ana River and UCR Botanical Gardens. Mayor Lock Dawson of has committed to saving the monarch butterfly and other pollinators with their signing of the Mayors' Monarch Pledge and looks forward to engaging residents in building more pollinator habitat throughout the city. This year, we plan on issuing a proclamation to raise awareness, hosting or supporting a native seed sale or swap, displaying educational signage, and updating city landscaping ordinances where applicable to increase the usage of native plants.

Community Spotlight

Mariposa Alley

Mariposa Alley is the beautification of an alley next to City Hall, in Downtown Riverside. It acknowledges the commitment of love for one another and brings an homage to the Monarch Butterfly, an important symbol for communities in Riverside.

Action Items Committed for 2026

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.
Create a community art project to enhance and promote monarch and pollinator conservation as well as cultural awareness and recognition.

Program and Demonstration Gardens ▸

Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap.
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.
Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar-producing plants in gardens in the community.
Display educational signage at monarch gardens and pollinator habitat.

Systems Change ▸

Increase the percentage of native plants, shrubs and trees that must be used in city landscaping ordinances and encourage use of milkweed, where appropriate.

Past Pledge Archive

Mayor Name	Program Year	Pledge Date	Achievement
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson	2026	3/6/2026		View Pledge
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson	2025	3/27/2025	Signatories	View Pledge
Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson	2022	4/19/2022		View Pledge