Community Profile

Town Of Middletown

Middletown, MD

John Miller

Burgess

Pledge Summary

The Town of Middletown is a small town of about 5,000 residents located in the center of the fertile Middletown Valley in western Frederick County, MD. It is home to farms and natural environments that support our community and the natural species that live within it. Our Sustainability Committee recognized by Sustainable Maryland has worked diligently to raise awareness of the monarch butterfly and the species' need for habitat. Numerous efforts have been ongoing to help save them which include: our local golf course is working to preserve areas where milkweed grows, mowing patterns have changed, pollinator gardens have been planted in a highly used park and along well-traveled roads, and public communication efforts are continuing. Join us in protecting habitat for our local monarch population!

Community Spotlight

Action Items Committed for 2024

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.
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 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.

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.
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.
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
Burgess John Miller	2024	1/18/2024		View Pledge
Burgess John Miller	2023	1/17/2023	Leadership Circle	View Pledge
Burgess John Miller	2022	12/13/2021	Leadership Circle	View Pledge
Burgess John Miller	2021	2/9/2021	Leadership Circle	View Pledge

Pledge Status

Pledge Date

Program Year

Links and Uploads

Action Item Report