The City of Bartlesville participates in the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Conservation Program — a nationwide effort to provide habitat for the Monarch butterfly, whose population has decreased by an estimated 90 percent in the U.S. and Mexico over the past 20 years due to forest fragmentation, chemicals and global warming.
Following a vote of support from the Bartlesville City Council in March, the City has committed to take at least eight actions to help the monarch and other pollinators. Bartlesville is now part of a national collaboration of mayors and local government chief executives to help save the declining monarch butterfly.
“The City of Bartlesville is happy to participate in the effort to conserve the Monarch butterfly,” said Community Development Director Lisa Beeman. “City staff is working with local garden club members to raise awareness of this issue and, hopefully, to inspire citizens to plant milk week and other plants that serves as food for the Monarch.”
Beeman serves on the Monarch Conservation Committee, which consists of other City staff and members of a Washington County garden club, which co-sponsors the local program.
While monarchs are found across the United States — numbering some 1 billion in 1996 — their numbers have declined significantly in recent years, a result of numerous threats, particularly loss of habitat due to agricultural practices, development and cropland conversion. Degradation of wintering habitat in Mexico and California has also had a negative impact on the species.
Through the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, cities and municipalities commit to create habitat and educate citizens on the ways they can make a difference at home or in their community. Mayors who take the pledge commit to at least three of 25 action items to help save the monarch butterfly. These actions include creating a monarch-friendly demonstration garden at city hall, converting abandoned lots to monarch habitat, changing mowing schedules to allow milkweed to grow unimpeded and 22 other possible actions.
The City of Bartlesville will work with a local garden club to raise awareness of the issue and take steps to help provide milkweed and other food sources, Lisa Beeman, Community Development and Parks director said recently.
“There are many things we can all do, as individuals and as a community, to help preserve this precious resource,” Beeman said. “I hope everyone will take an interest in this and learn what they can do to make a difference.”
Lean how you can help: 10 Things You Can Do To Help Save the Monarch
For more information, see NWF.org/MayorsMonarchPledge and get more updates from the National Wildlife Federation at NWF.org/News.