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Many Hands Make Light Work: Local Community Volunteers Show Up to Support Monarchs
Butterfly habitat in Black Mountain, NC. Credit: Town of Black Mountain, NC
It is no surprise that the monarch butterfly has been under threat. In recent decades the iconic species has experienced an average decline of 84% of the eastern population and over 90% of the western population. The factors threatening the species are increased use of pesticides, climate change, and habitat loss and fragmentation. This significant decline has led the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to propose listing monarchs as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
The mayors and heads of local governments who have taken the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge have committed to raising awareness about monarch decline through educational programming, initiating policy change at the municipal level and creating and restoring habitat across the U.S. and Canada. Local leaders are tremendously important in helping monarchs weather the many threats causing population decreases. However, the efforts needed to address monarch decline require many hands, which is where individual and community volunteers step in.
Community building through monarch conservation
In 2024, several communities hosted volunteer events that were attended by thousands of individuals who helped to plant natives to increase habitat connectivity. For example, the City of Pharr, TX, supported the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in hosting the 30th Annual Rio Reforestation event, where more than 1,200 volunteers planted over 15,000 native seedlings on 15 acres.
This project will provide essential habitats for native wildlife, migratory birds, and monarch butterflies as trees provide monarchs with nighttime roosts during migration as well as shelter from strong winds.
The City of St. Paul, MN, hosted 13 volunteer events that were attended by 96 volunteers and city staff who were able to collect native prairie seed and install 6,000 native plants in a variety of spaces, such as rain gardens, community gardens and demonstration prairies. Native prairie habitat is critically important for monarchs because it provides nectar sources for the adult monarchs as well as milkweed for monarch caterpillars along their migration routes.
Grassland ecosystems such as prairies are rapidly disappearing, converted to industrial agriculture land and suburban sprawl that offers no habitat for monarchs.
Richmond, Ontario, held 87 community stewardship events and 42 volunteer events involving a total of 1,735 volunteers who contributed over 3,800 hours. This effort, in part, allowed the community to restore 13.151 kilometers of streams and 36,463.3 square meters of natural areas. They also hosted the Healthy Yards Program, which engaged 650 households who in total received 1,188 native trees and shrubs, 3,532 native perennials, and 300 rain barrels to make their properties more monarch and pollinator friendly.
Representatives from McKinney, TX, put it best: “Our greatest resource is our community—local educators, volunteers, and organizations are essential partners in supporting monarch and pollinator education…having dedicated individuals to champion monarch-specific initiatives has been invaluable.”
Community members have made a positive impact on monarchs and other pollinators through education and restoration projects, but these projects have also had a positive impact on community members. Eshkiniigjik Naandwechigegamig, Aabiish Gaa Binjibaaying – ENAGB Youth Program is an official trustee for the PollinateTO grants in Toronto, Canada.
This organization cared for land along the Humber River through their pilot seed orchard project, revitalization of urban riparian habitat and reintroduction of important medicinal species. Pollinate TO Grants program and ENAGB Indigenous Youth Organization also partnered to host a series of community planting days, plant kit giveaways in Neighborhood Improvement Areas and events in Thorncliffe park with an after-school youth program.
These initiatives have helped to protect the local environment while revitalizing Indigenous cultural practices and empowering youth through mentoring and special training.
Major impact for monarchs
All of these projects are just a small snapshot of the 238 communities in 2024 who made a difference for monarchs. Combined, these communities engaged over 1.8 million people and created over 500 acres of monarch habitat across the United States.
Check out our Mayors’ Monarch Pledge 2024 Impact Report to learn more.
This impact is likely to grow in 2025 as 353 communities have taken the pledge for this year. 126 of these communities have committed to converting vacant lots to monarch habitat or putting milkweed and pollinator-friendly native plants along roadsides, 199 communities have committed to raising awareness about monarch protection by issuing a proclamation, and 76 communities have committed to integrating monarch butterfly conservation into relevant city plans.
The monarch’s situation is dire, but not hopeless. Mayors’ Monarch Pledge volunteers demonstrate that when people come together in service of a common goal they can make an incredible difference for their local environment and community. Thank you to all the individuals who have dedicated their time and efforts to protecting this amazing butterfly species.
Learn more about how you can continue to make a difference for monarchs and other pollinators here.
