Community Profile

Pledge Status

Complete

Pledge Date

Saturday, March 30, 2024

Program Year

2024

Achievement

Leadership Circle

2024

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Action Item Report

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City of Quasqueton

Quasqueton, IA

Joe Miller

Mayor

Pledge Summary

Establish nature areas throughout town to include native plant species and especially milkweed. Educate citizens on areas and encourage community involvement at own residence as well as involvement with community events pertaining to pollinator areas.

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Community Spotlight

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Historical Society plants milkweed

The historical society transformed a flowerbed in the rear of the building into a butterfly area. Planted with milkweed, the area will soon be welcoming Monarch's to continue their life cycle.

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Councilman Love's established milkweed patch

Council member Orlan Love has an established milkweed patch next to his garden. He has been transplanting saplings from his patch to areas around town, like the park and campground.

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Garden Club ladies plant butterfly friendly flower

A volunteer garden club of great lovely ladies come every spring to plant in City Hall's front flowerbed. This year their choice of flowers was a butterfly wildflower mix to accent the tiny baby milkweed the city clerk planted in the bed as well.

Action Items Committed for 2024

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.

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.
  • 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.

Systems Change

  • Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats.
  • Reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals that are harmful to monarchs and pollinators and urban wildlife.