FAQ

1) I’m not a Mayor, can I take this pledge?

Any individual who is a head of their local or tribal government in a city, county, town, township, village or any other form of municipal government may take the pledge. While this pledge is not specifically designed for neighborhood or home owners’ associations, presidents of these associations may also take the pledge.

2) What if I’m already taking three specific actions for monarch from the list?

If you are already taking three or more of the specific actions from the pledge, we ask you to make one additional commitment for the next year and continue the existing actions.

3) What is the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Leadership Circle?

The Leadership Circle is reserved for mayors who complete eight or more action items in a year.

4) How Do I Become a Monarch Champion?

You can take the pledge at the “Monarch Champion” level by pledging and completing 24 or more actions.

5) What kind of support can I expect from NWF?

NWF will share best practices through the “Resources for Mayors” page at www.nwf.org/mayorsmonarchpledge and foster sharing through our public Facebook group. NWF sends out regular newsletters with information about webinars, citizen science opportunities, and more! NWF will consult with any city that is interested in taking the pledge – just send us an email at mayorsmonarchpledge@nwf.org. Additional support is available to cities, towns, counties and neighborhoods that take part in NWF’s Community Wildlife Habitat program – www.nwf.org/community.

6) Does our Mayor or Town Council have to issue a proclamation?

A proclamation is not mandatory, but a city proclamation or resolution may be a pre-requisite for some municipalities to implement certain actions. Other actions like convening garden groups or planting a demonstration garden or changing when you mow certain areas within the city would likely not require a proclamation or other legislation.

7) Do I have to start on these actions before I take the pledge?

No. We ask that you make a commitment when you take the pledge and start taking the actions you included in your pledge as soon as possible.

8) Will I report back to NWF on our actions?

Yes, annual reporting is required. All communities are expected to submit a report through their profile page on our online portal by December 1 each year. This report can be submitted as early as completed and can be accessed and updated all year long.

9) Our community is interested in completing different actions than the ones we selected on the pledge survey. What do we do?

You can update the actions you wish to complete through your profile page on our online portal. For more questions about this, please contact mayorsmonarchpledge@nwf.org.

10) When does the pledge end? Is there a deadline?

The Mayors' Monarch Pledge can be taken each year between December 1 and March 31. You must complete the actions you committed to as part of your pledge by the end of the year and report on your work by December 1.

11) Is my mayor required to take the pledge each year they are in office?

Yes. Each mayor or head of local or tribal government is asked to re-pledge each year they wish to remain active in the program.

12) My mayor hasn’t taken the pledge. How can I encourage them to participate in the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge program?

We recommend that you visit our Engage Your Mayor page for tips on how to conduct outreach to your local elected officials. We also suggest coordinating with interested community-based groups, experts, and national organization chapters to help garner support for the program in your community. Key individuals and groups include master naturalists, master gardeners, native plant society chapters, garden clubs, zoos, nature centers, scout groups, and more! If you would like to discuss strategies that would work best in your community, please email mayorsmonarchpledge@nwf.org.

13) What is the Tri-National Pledge? Is my city part of it?

The Mayors’ Monarch Pledge is a tri-national initiative to encourage mayors and other local government chief executives to take community-wide actions to help save the monarch butterfly. While the pledge was originally designed for municipalities in the United States, the pledge was expanded in 2017 to Canada and Mexico through the Commission for Environmental Cooperation.

The tri-national pledge is a partnership between Profauna in Mexico, the David Suzuki Foundation in Canada, and the National Wildlife Federation in the United States. If your Mayor has signed the pledge, your city is automatically part of the tri-national effort. Visit the tri-national page HERE.

14) Can we get credit for items not included in the pledge?

Please email us at mayorsmonarchpledge@nwf.org if you have a specific action that is not listed on the pledge form.

15) What about the other pollinators?

What’s good for the monarch butterfly is also good for other pollinators (and wildlife)! By planting native milkweed and other native nectar plants cities will also be creating habitat for all pollinators.

16) The former mayor took the pledge and their term has ended. Can the new mayor continue the pledge?

Yes. We ask that the new mayor take the pledge and complete our pledge survey each year they wish to remain active in the program.