Community Profile

Pledge Status

Active

Pledge Date

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Program Year

2026

Links and Uploads

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Action Item Report

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City of Wausau

Wausau, WI

Doug Diny

Mayor

Pledge Summary

Wausau is a vibrant Central Wisconsin city of approximately 40,000 residents, proudly known as the gateway to northern Wisconsin and “Wisconsin’s Base Camp” for world-class outdoor recreation. Nestled along the Wisconsin River, our community values its natural spaces, including outstanding public gardens like Monk Botanical Gardens. The City of Wausau is committed to supporting monarch butterfly and pollinator conservation in practical, meaningful ways. Through our Sustainability Committee (SEEC), we are building on existing efforts such as public education in city newsletters encouraging residents to plant monarch-friendly gardens, delayed mowing schedules in pollinator areas like Schofield Park, and a student-created demonstration garden at City Hall.

Community Spotlight

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.
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.

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.
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).
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).

Systems Change ▸

Reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals that are harmful to monarchs and pollinators and urban wildlife.

Past Pledge Archive

Mayor Name	Program Year	Pledge Date	Achievement
Mayor Doug Diny	2026	3/24/2026		View Pledge
Mayor Katie Rosenberg	2022	4/25/2022		View Pledge