Community Profile

City of Houston

Houston, TX

John Whitmire

Mayor

Pledge Summary

The City of Houston is the largest city in Texas and fourth most populous city in the United States with over 2.3 million residents. Houston is situated in the convergence of the piney woods and gulf coast prairie, with numerous major bayous and waterways leading to Galveston Bay. Mayor John Whitmire is committing to protect the monarch butterfly and other pollinators through actions taken by the City of Houston staff to propagate and plant milkweed plants, establish and restore native habitat, and engage the community in monarch conservation.

Community Spotlight

Lake Houston Wilderness Park Nature Preserve

The City of Houston passed a Nature Preserve Ordinance in 2022, protecting over 7,400 acres of land within 26 parks.

Learn More

City of Houston Riparian Restoration Initiative

The City of Houston is restoring linear forested habitat in all parks adjacent to waterways, which will result in the enhancement or creation of riparian forest in 70 parks across the city.

Prairie Restoration

Much of Houston was historically coastal prairie habitat. The City of Houston manages over 160 acres of restored prairie habitat within 6 parks.

Prescribed Fire

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department and the Houston Fire Department work together to manage prairie and forested habitat through prescribed fire.

Native Plant Production

The City of Houston hand collects seed from remnant and restored prairies around Houston and propagates around 10,000 one-gallon pots annually for prairie restoration projects.

Green Stormwater Infrastructure

A concrete swale was converted into a 236 ft by 8 ft bioswale in a City of Houston park to improve water quality and support native pollinators.

Action Items Committed for 2026

Communications and Convening ▸

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.

Program and Demonstration Gardens ▸

Facilitate or support a milkweed seed collection and propagation effort.
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).
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.
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 John Whitmire	2026	4/7/2026		View Pledge
Mayor John Whitmire	2025	3/24/2025	Leadership Circle	View Pledge
Mayor Sylvester Turner	2023	3/23/2023	Leadership Circle	View Pledge
Mayor Sylvester Turner	2022	2/3/2022	Leadership Circle	View Pledge
Mayor Sylvester Turner	2021	1/22/2021	Signatories	View Pledge

Pledge Status

Pledge Date

Program Year

Links and Uploads

Action Item Report