Community Profile

Pledge Status

Complete

Pledge Date

Monday, March 24, 2025

Program Year

2025

Achievement

Signatories

2025

Links and Uploads

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Action Item Report

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City of Ocala

Ocala, FL

Ben Marciano

Mayor

Pledge Summary

Ocala is a city located in Marion County, Florida and has a 2025 population of 71,504. The city of Ocala has a variety of beautiful parks that range from upland pines, oak hammocks, urban communities, and retention and recharge wetland ponds. Different parks offer different amenities such as playground equipment, walking trails and courts for various sports. With volunteer opportunities available for both outdoor and indoor facilities, Park Rangers and Recreation crews assist with environmental education and outreach initiatives throughout the year.

Community Spotlight

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Photo Booth at 2025's Earthfest Plant Giveaway

Families picked up their free pollinator plants and learned about monarch migration patterns. This photo stand was donated by volunteers with our local DAR chapter.

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Aquatic Milkweed

Native milkweed host plant

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2 Trailers of Plants for Giveaways

Coreopsis, aquatic milkweed, blue eyed grass, dune sunflower, black eyed susan, goldenrod, fakahatchee grass, live oak, bay, pines

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Invasive removal at Heritage Nature Conservancy

May 2025 - volunteers helped pick up trash and remove invasive vegetation that could help restore monarch and native pollinator host plants and habitat.

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AdventHealth Volunteer Leave It Better Day

AdventHealth employees joined Parks at Mothers Of Missing Smiles (MOMS) Park in November to help open up monarch habitat, remove invasive plants (including ornamental mexican petunia), and replant Florida-friendly species in the butterfly garden.

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Action Items Committed for 2025

Program and Demonstration Gardens

  • Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap.
  • 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).
  • Launch, expand, or continue an invasive species removal program that will support the re-establishment of native habitat for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.