Agenda - Environmental Policy Board - 05/16/2016

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WILDLIFE Mayors' Monarch Pledge Action Items Mayors and local government chief executives who have taken the Mayors' Monarch Pledge must commit to implement at least three of the 25 following action items within a year of taking the pledge. At least one action must be taken from the "Program & Demonstration Gardens" section. Mayors' and local government chief executives taking more than eight actions will receive special recognition as part of the National Wildlife Federation's Mayors' Monarch Leadership Circle. NWF will follow up with all mayoral points of contact with a quarterly survey (1/1, 4/1, 7/1, 10/1)to monitor progress. Please visit www.nwf.org/mayorsmonarchpledge to take the pledge and access resources. Communications&Convening: 1) Issue a Proclamation to raise awareness about the decline of the monarch butterfly and the species' need for habitat. 2) Launch a public communication effort to encourage citizens to plant monarch gardens at their homes or in their neighborhoods. 3) Communicate with community garden groups and urge them to plant native milkweeds and nectar-producing plants. 4) Convene city park and public works department staff and identify opportunities for revised mowing programs and milkweed/ native nectar plant planting programs. 5) Convene a meeting with gardening leaders in the community to discuss partnerships to support monarch butterfly conservation. Program & Demonstration Gardens: 6) Host or support a native plant sale or milkweed seed giveaway event. 7) Facilitate or support a milkweed seed collection and propagation effort. 8) Plant a monarch-friendly demonstration garden at City Hall or another prominent location. 9) Convert abandoned lots to monarch habitat. 10) Plant milkweed and native nectar plants in medians and public rights-of-way. 11) Launch a program to plant native milkweeds and nectar plants in school gardens by engaging students, teachers and the community. 12) Earn recognition for being a wildlife-friendly city by expanding your action plan to include other wildlife and habitat conservation efforts through a program like the NWF Community Wildlife Habitat program 13) Create a monarch neighborhood challenge to engage neighborhoods and homeowners' associations within the city to create habitat for the monarch butterfly. 14) Initiate or support citizen-science efforts that help monitor monarch migration and health. 15) Add milkweed and nectar producing plants in community gardens.