Cheltenham Township
Elkins Park, PA
Matthew Areman
Summary for 2026
Cheltenham Township is a first-ring suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a population of close to 38,000. Its 9-square-mile community boasts 23 parks and open spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy. Cheltenham Township adopted a Sustainability Plan in 2013, and is looking to approve its updated Comprehensive Plan in 2026, further supporting its commitment to the environment and to pollinators. Cheltenham is taking the Monarch Pledge for the fifth year in 2026 to include cultivating its existing and monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration gardens, continuing public communication efforts to encourage monarch gardens at homes and neighborhoods, hosting its third annual Monarch Festival, and reviewing Township ordinances, regulations and practices. The Township's efforts are supplemented by the partnership of community organizations and resident volunteers, including through the Cheltenham Township Library System, the Township's Environmental Advisory Council, and parks Friends groups.
City of Chesterfield
Chesterfield, MO
Dan Hurt
Summary for 2026
Chesterfield, Missouri is a city in the St. Louis area. Our population is approximately 50,000. The city is located in west St. Louis County, with rolling, wooded hills and the Chesterfield valley lying next to the Missouri River. We value our parks, open space, and community gardens. Mayor Nation of Chesterfield, Missouri has committed to saving the monarch butterfly and other pollinators with his signing of the Mayors' Monarch Pledge. He looks forward to engaging residents, through the efforts of the Chesterfield Citizens' Environmental Advisory Committee, in building more pollinator habitat in our city.
City of West Chicago
West Chicago, IL
Daniel Bovey
Summary for 2026
Located in the Western Suburbs along Illinois Route 59, the City of West Chicago is a community on the western edge of DuPage County that borders Illinois’ Tri-City area, and is best known for its historical significance as the first Illinois community established by the railroads. West Chicago is a diverse, family-oriented community with a population of roughly 25,600. The City is located approximately 30 miles west of the City of Chicago, with a rich cultural mix and a proud heritage. West Chicago boasts open green spaces, connections to trails systems such as the Illinois Prairie Path, and the West Chicago Prairie Forest Preserve containing over 600 species of native plants and animals within the 358-acre region that is owned and operated by the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. The City passed a resolution in 2017 providing support of the National Wildlife Federation's efforts for the preservation of the Monarch Butterfly and other pollinators. Mayor Bovey is committed to preserving the Monarch Butterflies and other pollinators in West Chicago. Furthermore, he looks forward to continuing efforts to engage with the community leaders and volunteers to educate the public on the importance of the monarch butterfly and other pollinators, and demonstrate how the community can help save them by planting and maintaining native milkweed and other pollinator-friendly native nectar plants.
The Village of Hopewell
Hopewell, IL
John Mayerhofer
Summary for 2026
The Village of Hopewell is a small municipality just north of Peoria, IL, located on the river bluffs of the Illinois River. The community houses 420 residents and is zoned entirely residential. The Village is home to many native flora and fauna with two Illinois Nature Preserves located within its boundaries. The natural wooded and prairie landscape makes Hopewell an ideal place for many native species, and the President and Board of Trustees look forward to implementing measures to help protect Monarchs and other pollinators for years to come.
Town of Hempstead
Hempstead, NY
John Ferretti
Summary for 2026
The Town of Hempstead is proud to be America's largest township, with a population of approximately 780,000 people, and one of the nation's oldest, dating back to 1644. Located just east of New York City and bordered by the Hempstead Bay estuary and Atlantic Ocean to the south, the Town encompasses more than 142 square miles, 20,000 acres of wetlands, and 180 miles of coastal waterways. Since first taking the Pledge in 2022, the Town has proudly achieved Leadership Circle status every year, including 2024 and 2025. As we continue our participation, the Town is committing to actions that build upon the successful programs established between 2022 and 2025. These initiatives include public outreach and education about native pollinator plants, a citizen science project tagging monarch butterflies in partnership with Camp ANCHOR in Lido Beach, and the ongoing maintenance of several demonstration gardens at Town facilities. To directly support many of these action items, the Town also owns and operates a greenhouse dedicated to cultivating native pollinator plant species.
City of Pickering
Pickering , ON
Kevin Ashe
Summary for 2026
Over the past several years, Pickering has developed and implemented a number of initiatives to support the Monarch butterfly and other important pollinators such as birds, bats and bees. Through participation in the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, Pickering will continue to help create Monarch habitat, raise community awareness about the importance of these species, and educate residents on roles they can play. Through collaboration we also endeavor to encourage other Canadian cities to do the same.
Town of York
York, ME
Todd Frederick
Summary for 2026
The Town of York, comprised of Cape Neddick, York Harbor, York Village and York Beach, is in the southern tip of Maine and has a population of over 13,000 year-round residents. This coastal community is home to the Nubble Lighthouse, Mount Agamenticus, and is famous for its long sandy beaches. York also has large areas of forest, community parks, fields, and green space along with some of the highest levels of biodiversity in the state. In our recent Comprehensive Plan, a top goal is to preserve, protect, and enhance natural resources to include wildlife habitat. We are pledging to help protect and increase public awareness of Maine’s native pollinators, to include the monarch butterfly, and their habitats.
City of College Station
College Station, TX
John Nichols
Summary for 2026
Our city's vision is deeply intertwined with the core values and mission of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge. We are committed to re-engaging our community in meaningful efforts to protect monarch butterflies and other native pollinators in College Station, Texas, and beyond. Local conservation leaders introduced this initiative to Mayor John Nichols and the City Council, who recognized its potential to inspire informed, grassroots action throughout College Station. Renewing our commitment to the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, signed initially by Nancy Barry Jan. 28th 2016, not only reinforces our collective vision but also advances key objectives in our Comprehensive Plan—specifically, the creation, stewardship, and management of resilient, sustainable, and vibrant natural spaces and unique habitats shared by monarchs, local wildlife, and the communities who enjoy them. In this process, we forge enduring partnerships that benefit both our community and the natural world. College Station has a strong legacy of conservation leadership. In 2022, we established the Parks and Recreation, Conservation Advisory Group to address a diverse array of environmental concerns and advance community projects of over 100 active members and volunteers made up from The Brazos Valley Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist, The Post Oak Chapter for the Native Plant Society of Texas, Rio Brazos Audubon Society, Texas AgriLife, The Texas Master Gardeners, Texas A&M Forest Service, Bat Conservation International, faculty and students from Texas A&M. Our city became a Mayor’s Monarch Pledge City in 2017, has participated in the Tree City USA program for over 30 years, and launched the Lights Out! College Station campaign in August 2023 to protect migrating and resident night-flying wildlife, and earned official Bird City Texas status from TPWD and Texas Audubon in January 2025. Renewing our participation in the Monarch Pledge Program builds on these achievements, serving as an umbrella initiative to mobilize additional conservation projects, strengthen community engagement, and address the specific needs of our declining monarch butterfly populations. Our Bird City Team includes a dynamic native plant group devoted to monarch conservation, habitat creation, education, and fostering community connections, making this next step a natural progression for College Station. The City of College Station has repeatedly demonstrated its dedication to preserving monarchs and native pollinators. Since 2016, we have hosted an annual Monarch Festival each March, engaged the public in community science projects, native plant sales, and established expansive pollinator habitats throughout our parks. We have also planted, cared for, and distributed thousands of packets of native plant seeds at Nature Center and conservation events, as well as at the Nature Center’s welcome desk from our demonstration gardens. Our efforts also include numerous invasive plant removal days, active community science projects, educating the A&M landscape architecture school as well as many HOAs, dozens of educational events/outreaches and engagements in the community, planting hundreds of pollinator-friendly trees, and managing the Butterflies on the Brazos webpage to promote pollinator awareness and community involvement. The community’s enthusiasm for monarchs drives our ongoing commitment to their conservation. In 2025, the City of College Station opened a new trail at Lick Creek Park called “Butterfly Alley,” featuring engaging, TEKS-aligned educational graphics that explore monarch biology, current challenges, and conservation action steps. These displays are popular with school groups and park visitors alike. College Station is a 125,000+ residents and hosts the largest student body in the country, over 85,000 college students, and features 55 parks, 600 acres of protected greenways, and 8 miles of multi-use trails. At the heart of our park system is Lick Creek Park—a 523-acre nature preserve supporting rare and declining pollinator species, including the monarch butterfly. More than 2,800 species of plants, fungi, and animals have been documented there year-round, with populations closely monitored by both professional and community researchers. These efforts inspire the next generation of conservation leaders.
City of Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Dean Trantalis
Summary for 2026
Fort Lauderdale is a city defined by its natural beauty, from our sandy beaches and blue waterways to the green spaces that connect our neighborhoods. As we continue to grow, we are equally committed to protecting the ecosystems that make our community so special. As a proud National Wildlife Federation Certified Community Wildlife Habitat, Fort Lauderdale has demonstrated that urban environments can play a vital role in supporting biodiversity. With more than 400 certified wildlife habitats across our city, we have engaged residents, students, and community partners in creating spaces that support pollinators and native species. Through programs like Green Your Routine, partnerships with organizations such as Heal the Planet, and initiatives like the Snyder Park Butterfly Garden, we are actively restoring habitat, planting native species, and educating the next generation about environmental stewardship. Our Parks and Recreation Department continues to expand butterfly-friendly spaces and pollinator gardens, ensuring that conservation is woven into the fabric of our city. By taking this year's Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, Fort Lauderdale reaffirms its commitment to protecting monarch butterflies and other essential pollinators. We will continue to: • Expand native and pollinator-friendly plantings across public spaces • Promote community education and youth engagement in habitat creation • Support the reduction of harmful practices that impact pollinator populations • Strengthen partnerships that advance conservation and sustainability efforts Together, we are building a city where nature and community thrive side by side.
Town of Vestal
Vestal, NY
Maria Sexton
Summary for 2026
The Town of Vestal is a suburban/rural community of about 32,000 residents situated in the rolling hills between the Susquehanna River and southern border of New York State. The Town maintains 25 parks comprising a total of 768 acres. In a project spearheaded by the Town's Conservation Advisory Commission and with the enthusiastic support of Vestal Town Supervisor Maria Sexton, ground preparation will soon begin for a 1500 square foot native-plant pollinator garden in one of the Town's parks. With increasing community alliances and support, this nascent effort can expand throughout the park system.
