Village Manager s Office

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1 Village Manager s Office SUBJECT: Consideration of a Proclamation declaring April 5, 2016, as Mayors Monarch Pledge Day in the Village of Glenview AGENDA ITEM: 4.a. MEETING DATE: April 5, 2016 VILLAGE BOARD REPORT TO: Village President and Board of Trustees FROM: Sarah Kuechler, Assistant to the Village Manager ( ) Robyn Flakne, Natural Resources Manager ( ) THROUGH: Todd Hileman, Village Manager PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: Staff requests Village Board consideration of a Proclamation declaring April 5, 2016, as Mayors Monarch Pledge Day in the Village of Glenview. BACKGROUND: The National Wildlife Federation has developed a Mayors Monarch Pledge, in which cities commit to creating habitat and educating citizens about how they can make a difference at home for the monarch butterfly population. The monarch butterfly population has declined by 90% in the last 20 years. Monarch scientists attribute the decline to degradation and loss of summer breeding habitat in the U.S. including milkweed host plants and nectar food sources. Under the Mayors Monarch Pledge, communities must identify at least three specific actions they will take in the next year to help monarch butterflies (please see Attachment 2 for a list of potential actions). The Natural Resources Commission supports the pledge and has conservation and natural resources educational activities already planned for the year that can promote monarch conservation. There is no budgetary impact. More information about the pledge or monarch conservation can be found at RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the attached Proclamation declaring April 5, 2016, as Mayors Monarch Pledge Day in the Village of Glenview. ATTACHMENT: 1. Proclamation 2. Pledge Action Items 3. Letters 1

2 Attachment 1: Proclamation 2

3 MAYORS MONARCH PLEDGE DAY PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, the monarch butterfly is an iconic North American species whose multigenerational migration and metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly has captured the imagination of millions of Americans; and WHEREAS, the monarch butterfly population has declined by 90 percent in the last 20 years, with monarch scientists attributing the decline in part to degradation and loss of summer breeding habitat including milkweed host plants and nectar food sources; and WHEREAS, cities, towns and counties have a critical role to play to help save the monarch butterfly; and WHEREAS, residents, businesses, schools and community groups of the Village of Glenview can make a difference for the monarch by planting native milkweed and nectar plants to provide habitat for the monarch and pollinators; NOW, THEREFORE, I, James R. Patterson Jr., President of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Glenview, do hereby proclaim April 5, 2016, as MAYORS MONARCH PLEDGE DAY in the Village of Glenview to raise awareness about monarch butterfly conservation and encourage all citizens to observe this day. GIVEN, under my hand and seal of the Village of Glenview, this 5th day of April, James R. Patterson Jr., President of the Village of Glenview, Cook County, Illinois Todd Hileman, Village Clerk of the Village of Glenview, Cook County, Illinois 3

4 Attachment 2: Pledge Action Items 4

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

5 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 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.

6 16) Expand invasive species removal programs to make it possible to re-establish native milkweed and nectar plants to the landscape. 17) Host or support a city monarch butterfly festival. Systems Change: 18) Remove milkweed from the list of noxious plants in city weed / landscaping ordinances (if applicable). 19) Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats. 20) Increase the percentage of native plants, shrubs and trees that must be used in city landscaping ordinances and encourage use of milkweed where appropriate. 21) Direct city property managers to consider the use of native milkweed and nectar plants at city properties where appropriate. 22) Integrate monarch butterfly conservation into the city s Park Master Plan, Sustainability Plan, Climate Resiliency Plan or other city plans. 23) Change landscape ordinances to support integrated pest management and reduced use of pesticides and insecticides. 24) Adopt pesticides practices that are not harmful to pollinators. 25) California Specific: Pass a resolution to protect over-wintering monarch butterfly habitat on public and private lands.

7 Attachment 3: Letters 5

8 March 21, 2016 Mr. Jim Patterson Village President, Glenview, IL Dear Mr. Patterson, The Monarch butterfly, with their iconic color pattern, strong culture importance, and spectacular migration, has long captivated both children and adults alike. However, during the last several decades Monarchs, like so many other pollinators, have declined significantly. Monarch butterfly habitat including milkweed host plants and nectar food sources has declined drastically throughout most of the United States. The observed overwinter population levels in Mexico have also exhibited a long-term downward trend, suggesting a strong relationship between habitat loss and Monarch population declines. In response to pollinator decline, a Presidential Memorandum 1 was issued in 2014 to create a federal strategy to promote the health of honeybees and other pollinators. In May 2015, the interagency task force responsible for this work released its National Strategy 2. One of the three national goals put forward in this strategy directly calls out increasing Monarch butterfly numbers to protect the annual migration. Research results from the Monarch Conservation Science Partnership 3 indicate we will need a strategy that includes all land types to stabilize monarch populations at levels necessary to adequately minimize extinction risk and urban areas will likely play a critical role. To help garner support and recognize the great efforts underway in municipalities throughout the country, the National Wildlife Federation developed a Mayors' Monarch Pledge 4, in which cities commit to creating habitat and educating citizens about how they can make a difference at home for the monarch butterfly population. Just this month, Evanston, IL was the first city in the Chicago region to sign on to the Mayor s Monarch Pledge. In my professional capacity, I lead a team of scientists developing an Urban Monarch Conservation Design for cities throughout the Midwest flyway. In my experience, working with a range of partners from community-based organizations to schools to corporate partners, support for this effort is incredibly deep. As a resident of Glenview, and a conservation professional specializing in urban nature, I greatly encourage the Village of Glenview to sign on to the Mayors Monarch Pledge. This commitment positions Glenview as an urban conservation leader and leverages the impressive work to date by the Natural Resource Commission and the Plan for Nature. Signing this pledge will not only increase awareness, but also lead to on-the-ground action that provides a multitude of co-benefits both for nature and for people. Signing this pledge will signal to schools, residents, community groups and businesses that Glenview encourages efforts to plant diverse Monarch habitat. Let s be a champion for this effort and sign on today. Sincerely, Abigail Derby Lewis, Ph.D

9 On Mar 28, 2016, at 11:25 AM, Henrietta Saunders wrote: Dear Jim and Todd Yesterday's Tribune editorial ( reminded me of the need to follow up with the two of you on Abigail Derby Lewis' letter to you from last week. As you may recall, Abigail is a nationally known scientist with the Field Museum. She moved to Glenview due to the schools and our great natural resources, and serves on the Environmental Review Commission. I believe that her request is more than symbolic in that it will allow us to get some great publicity for our town, but won't be costly as we already supersede the requirements of the program she mentions with the work we regularly do - through Robyn, Lynne, the NRC and other volunteers. The values we already demonstrate in Glenview through Village and also Park District activities are encouraged by the Community Wildlife Habitat Program she references, and also in the Tribune piece yesterday. We are seeing over and over during this Comprehensive Plan Process that residents who know about our natural resources efforts value them highly. I have only had one complaint lately: this was from an older woman who wanted us to promote something besides the River Clean-ups that she is unable to do, and she actually mentioned the need to support butterflies in her note! So as NRC Chair, I would strongly encourage Jim to sign the pledge and to then hand it off to me and the NRC or to Robyn to check off the boxes as we go through the year. Robyn has already got an Eagle Scout candidate lined up to do a project helping her with existing Village resources and plans and that can be a large piece of the required work. Abigail is scheduled for the Green Table already on July 9 to share her expertise promoting Monarch Conservation Science and is willing to do a presentation at the library. Our Garden Clubs also have interest, and I understand that Westbrook School may be applying for and IDNR grant for a wildlife garden this fall. Am copying Lynne Stiefel here who is always helpful to conversations like this. And hoping you might take this action before the first week of May when I am scheduled to address the Glenview Values Project and would love to use the opportunity to announce! Let me know if there is anything else needed to proceed, from your point of view, and how I can help. Thanks, Henrietta Saunders Glenview IL

Army Corps of Engineers Pollinator Activities

Army Corps of Engineers Pollinator Activities Under the President s Executive Memorandum for Pollinator Health Jeff Krause USACE Institute for Water Resources 20 January 2016 US Army Corps of Engineers