Mayor of Elkhart signs Mayors' Monarch Pledge

PEXELS STOCK PHOTO

Palestine Herald-Press
BY PENNYLYNN WEBB pwebb@palestineherald.com
Feb 24, 2023

The City of Elkhart is joining communities across the United States in efforts to save the monarch butterfly.

In alignment with Pollinators Day Feb. 28, and in response to growing concerns around diminishing populations of monarchs butterflies, Elkhart Mayor Jennifer McCoy has pledged her town’s support an initiative aiming to engage municipalities into helping conserve these beautiful insects through the “Mayors’ Monarch Pledge.

Elkhart joins over 160 other cities, from Mexico City northward through Canada, in pledging actions like increasing availability of wild flower and milkweed plants, establishing or enhancing habitats, raising awareness among citizens about how they can sustainably contribute.

In July 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified the migratory monarch butterfly as endangered on its’ “red list.” It had previously been classified as declining.

Each fall, the migratory monarch butterfly travels nearly 3,000 miles from southern Canada and the northern U.S. to winter in Mexico, arriving by the first of November. By spring the monarchs are ready to mate and migrate back to the U.S. They fly another 1,000 miles to lay their eggs only on milkweed plants, which will eventually serve as a food source for the caterpillars.

According the World Wildlife Fund, the eastern migratory monarch butterfly population has decreased by more than 80% in the last three decades.

While climate variations in North America have been a factor during the summers of 2004 and 2018, the IUCN reports one of the main reasons for the decline of the migratory monarch’s population is the use of herbicides in the U.S. that kill milkweed plants, which are essential for monarch reproduction.

McCoy said there are plans to install a pollinator garden at the city welcome signs on Hwy 287 and Hwy 294, as well as a couple other areas throughout the town, and local businesses have already expressed an interest in participating in pollinator gardens.

McCoy said plans also include launching public communication effort to encourage residents to plant native milkweed and other nectar producing plants.

With the help of local Monarch experts, educational materials about monarch conservation will be available during some city events, as well as milkweed seeds. McCoy said she looks forward to working with citizens of her town to help save these beautiful creatures.

“It is really important that we do what we can as individuals and as municipalities,” McCoy said. “And like most of the community projects around town, this project will be a donation-based drive. No monetary funds are requested however items to help with the growing of plants to give away would greatly be appreciated.”

The community profile for Elkhart on the National Wildlife Federation can be found at: https://www.nwf.org/mayorsmonarchportal/Community?communityId=564&programYearId=4 .

For more information regarding donations contact Sunshine Alcorta at 903-764-5657.

For more information on Mayors Monarch Pledge log onto www.nwf.org/mayorsmonarchportal.