The National Wildlife Federation

Community Profile

Pledge Status

Active

Pledge Date

Friday, March 31, 2023

Program Year

2023

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Action Item Report

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City of Branson

Branson, MO

Larry Milton

Mayor

Pledge Summary

The City of Branson (population 10,520; with millions of visitors annually and growing) is located in southwest Missouri, 35 miles south of Springfield within the heart of the Ozark Hills. Branson is surrounded by three prize winning fishing lakes - Lake Taneycomo, Table Rock Lake, and Bull Shoals Lake. The city has an incorporated boundary of over 21 square miles. It has become the focus of international attention as both a major development area and an entertainment and tourism destination. The reasons are numerous and range from the scenic natural beauty to the variety of live entertainment options and family oriented entertainment offerings. Mayor Larry Milton is committed to monarch and pollinator conservation.

Community Spotlight

Action Items Committed for 2023

Communications and Convening

  • Launch or maintain a public communication effort to encourage residents to plant monarch gardens at their homes or in their neighborhoods. (If you have community members who speak a language other than English, we encourage you to also communicate in that language; Champion Pledges must communicate in that language.)
  • Engage with city parks and recreation, public works, sustainability, and other relevant staff to identify opportunities to revise and maintain mowing programs and milkweed / native nectar plant planting programs.
  • Engage with gardening leaders and partners (e.g., Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, Nature Centers, Native Plant Society Chapters , other long-standing and influential community leaders) to support monarch butterfly conservation.

Program and Demonstration Gardens

  • Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar producing plants in community gardens.

Systems Change

  • Direct city property managers to consider the use of native milkweed and nectar plants at city properties where possible.