City of Fergus Falls
Fergus Falls, MN
Ben Schierer
Summary for 2021
Fergus Falls is a city in western Minnesota with a population of approximately 14,500 people and is the Otter Tail County seat. The city is located in North America's grassland biome, on the eastern edge of the tallgrass prairie, and within the prairie pothole region, a key location for migrating, nectaring, and breeding monarch butterflies. The city grew adjacent to the Otter Tail River and has 27 beautiful parks along with six different trail systems and two community vegetable gardens. In addition, it is home to the Fergus Falls Wetland Management District and the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, part of the National Wildlife Refuge System, managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Mayor Ben Schierer committed to saving the monarch butterfly and other pollinators by originally signing the Mayors Monarch Pledge in 2017 and each year since then. He looks forward to engaging residents and partners in creating more pollinator habitat throughout the city. Additional partners include the Friends of the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center, Wildlife Forever, United Prairie Foundation and the city's Natural Resources Committee and Human Rights Commission. Fergus Falls is working towards designation as the first Prairie City USA through Wildlife Forever in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is working to develop and invite other cities to earn this recognition. It also earned a 2019 Pollinator Friendly Community Award from the Pollinator Friendly Alliance in Stillwater, Minnesota.
City of Pea Ridge
Pea Ridge, AR
Jackie Crabtree
Summary for 2021
The City of Pea Ridge is working with the Pea Ridge Intermediate School to help establish feeding areas for the Monarch's.
City of Springdale
Springdale, AR
Doug Sprouse
Summary for 2021
The City of Springdale is a beautiful community with a large diverse population. We have many different trails and parks, where many monarchs and pollinators can live and thrive. I am thrilled to be taking this pledge for another year. We will continue to do our part in preserving this pledge to protect the monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
Eureka Springs
Eureka Springs, AR
Robert (Butch) Berry
Summary for 2021
Eureka Springs is a quaint little community in the Ozarks, in northwest Arkansas. We have one of the largest park systems in the country and a commitment to including native plants throughout our parks and the town in general. This commitment includes the planting of over 1,000 milkweed plants this year alone, and including interpretive signs related to monarchs in at least two of our parks.
City of Columbus
Columbus, OH
Andrew J. Ginther
Summary for 2021
Columbus is a city in central Ohio with a population of roughly 878,553. The city has a strong commitment to sustainability and has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050. Mayor Andrew J. Ginther has committed to saving the monarch butterfly by signing the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge and engaging residents in creating more pollinator habitat throughout the city. The main arms of this initiative are the Columbus GreenSpot program and programs within the Recreation and Parks Department along with dozens of community partnerships.
Village of Elwood
Elwood, IL
Doug Jenco
Summary for 2021
The Village of Elwood is a quaint vibrant community located in the heart of Will County with a population of approximately 2300 people. We are blessed with open lands where wildlife is thriving. We are located steps from the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Midewin was the first national tallgrass prairie ever designated in the U.S. and the largest conservation site in the region. The Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, located in the Village of Elwood, is a 982-acre cemetery. Village President Doug Jenco and Elwood’s citizens have already joined in creating and will continue creating healthy habitats for the magnificent monarch butterflies.
City of Highland Park
HIGHLAND PARK, IL
Nancy R. Rotering
Summary for 2021
Highland Park is a small city on the shores of Lake Michigan 25 miles north of Chicago. With towering lake bluffs, secluded ravines, and wooded lots, the city has always had a special relationship with nature and the character of the city is defined by large old oaks and hickories. Mayor Rotering has committed to increasing pollinator habitat by removing invasive species such as buckthorn from public land and replacing it with native perennials, shrubs, and trees.
The Woodlands Township
The Woodlands, TX
Gordy Bunch
Summary for 2021
The Woodlands Township is a master-planned community located 30 miles north of downtown Houston, Texas with a population of 120,000. The Township is home to 148 parks, 220 miles of hike and bike trails, and includes more than 28,000 acres of forested land. The Woodlands Township Board of Directors has committed to saving the monarch butterfly and other pollinators with their signing of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge and has contributed $5,000 annually to programs, educational resources, and events that support these efforts. Over the past few years, The Woodlands Township had led many efforts to engage residents including propagating and distributing more than 14,000 native milkweed plants, registering more than 100 pollinator gardens throughout the community, and converting numerous public spaces to pollinator and wildlife habitats.
City of Laguna Vista
Laguna Vista, TX
Michael Carter
Summary for 2021
Laguna Vista is a beautiful small community nestled on the beautiful Laguna Madre Bay just before South Padre Island. We are neighbors to the Atascosa Wildlife Refuge and very committed to nature conservation. Our city has several beautiful parks, including a bird watching nature trail. Mayor Smith has committed to the saving the monarch and other pollinators by signing the Monarch pledge.
City of Angleton
Angleton, TX
Jason Perez
Summary for 2021
The City of Angleton was founded in 1890 & is 41 miles south of downtown Houston, and approximately 20 minutes north of Surfside Beach. Angleton Has been the county seat of Brazoria County since 1897 and is continuing to grow in population with over 20,000 residents. Mayor Perez of Angleton, TX continues to commit to the restoration of monarch butterflies and other pollinators with signing the mayors monarch pleage and looks forward to engaging angleton citizens in building more pollinator habitats through out the city.
