Community Profile

Charter Township of Orion

Orion Township, MI

Chris Barnett

Township Supervisor

Pledge Summary

Orion Township, Where Living is a Vacation, is a thriving community in Southeast Michigan with an estimated population of 40,000 residents. At 36 square miles, Orion Township is a slice of the best of Michigan's lakes, parks, schools, and communities - boasting more than 4,200 acres of parks and open spaces, including 42 lakes larger than five acres, more than 10 square miles of recreation, and more than 50 miles of safety path and trail ways. By signing the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, Township Supervisor Barnett has committed Orion Township, MI to saving the monarch butterfly and other pollinators and looks forward to engaging residents in building more pollinator habitats throughout the Township.

Community Spotlight

Orion Green Up

Orion Green Up is an annual event where the community gets together to clean up our community! Each year we kick off the event with a BBQ, a tree planting ceremony and milkweed seed packet giveaway.

Pasadena Pocket Park

This will be a green space featuring a unique walking path in the shape of a tree! The park is adorned with a variety of native plantings, including trees, shrubs, and perennial wildflowers. These will help support our local ecosystem.

Creating a Native Prairie

We are converting the 4-5 acres in front of Township Hall into a native prairie. In late fall, we will initiate dormant seeding, followed by continued mowing the next year to manage weeds that may compete with the native seeds.

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.
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 Homeowners Associations (HOAs), Community Associations or neighborhood organizations to identify opportunities to plant monarch gardens and revise maintenance and mowing programs.
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.
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.
Convert vacant lots to monarch habitat.
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.
Launch, expand, or continue an invasive species removal program that will support the re-establishment of native habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
Display educational signage at monarch gardens and pollinator habitat.

Past Pledge Archive

Mayor Name	Program Year	Pledge Date	Achievement
Township Supervisor Chris Barnett	2026	1/7/2026		View Pledge
Township Supervisor Chris Barnett	2025	1/14/2025	Leadership Circle	View Pledge
Township Supervisor Chris Barnett	2024	4/1/2024	Leadership Circle	View Pledge

Pledge Status

Pledge Date

Program Year

Links and Uploads

Action Item Report