Collaborating for Change: Charleston, the “Butterfly Capital” of Illinois
2/1/2022 3:27:46 PM
Collaborating for Change: Charleston, the “Butterfly Capital” of Illinois
Mayor Combs of Charleston, Illinois signed the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge in 2019, and since then, has been a leader in monarch and pollinator conservation. In just over a year, the city has been named a Monarch Champion, signifying their commitment to protect and conserve habitat for the monarch butterfly. This achievement is the product of their remarkable dedication to monarch conservation, and they now join five other US cities that have fully completed all 24 actions of the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge.
Their work and accomplishment were made possible through the efforts of the City of Charleston and Paul Switzer, a biology professor at Eastern Illinois University and founder of the Urban Butterfly initiative in Charleston. Paul Switzer shares the unique and collaborative efforts in his community in the short video above. Due to their unique leadership and dedication, the Urban Butterfly Initiative named Charleston, the “Butterfly Capital” of Illinois.
The community pursued partnerships with schools, libraries, and the Coles County Health Department. These partnerships have allowed them to mobilize the entire community to be champions for the monarch butterfly. In collaboration with the Coles County Health Department, they installed a monarch demonstration garden at the community garden located at the health department This health department garden reminds us that a community’s health and wellness depend on healthy, diverse ecosystems that also support butterflies and all types of wildlife.
The National Wildlife Federation commends the leadership in Charleston and their ability to engage so many diverse groups of citizens through its unique partnerships. Their success showcases those partnerships provide leverage to increase the influence and long-term impact of monarch conservation.
If your community is interested in joining the program, visit the website for more information and learn how to encourage your mayor to sign the pledge.
