Community Profile

Pledge Status

Active

Pledge Date

Friday, April 17, 2026

Program Year

2026

Links and Uploads

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Action Item Report

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Village of Island Lake

Island Lake, IL

Richard McLaughlin

Mayor

Pledge Summary

The Friendly Village of Island Lake is a small community of roughly 8,000 residents located in the north eastern part of Illinois. It is home to a varied landscape that includes a lake, many attractive parks, a thriving community garden, and fertile farmland. We support planting native Illinois plants in our community garden and throughout our park system, and plan to expand our efforts into the future. On a personal note, Mayor McLaughlin and his family have been raising and releasing Monarchs at their Island Lake home for the last ten years.

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 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 ▸

Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar-producing plants in gardens in the community.

Past Pledge Archive

Mayor Name	Program Year	Pledge Date	Achievement
Mayor Richard McLaughlin	2026	4/17/2026		View Pledge