City of West Chicago, Illinois

Where History and Progress Meet

Skip NavigationMenu
  • Explore West Chicago
    • About West Chicago
      • Community Profile
      • History of West Chicago
      • Environmental Stewardship
        • Environmental Partners
        • Environmental Initiatives
        • Pollinator Programs
        • Prairie Stewardship
        • Water Quality
        • Local Champions
        • Close
      • Close
    • Places to Visit
      • West Chicago Prairie
      • West Chicago City Museum
      • Gallery 200
      • Close
    • Things to Do
      • Walking & Biking Trails
      • Family Activities & Destinations
      • Public Art
        • Community Art Banner Project
        • Signa Rotae
        • In This Together
        • Mural by Juan Chawuk
        • “loveevenmore”
        • Forever Lily
        • Sesquicentennial Mural
        • Trinita
        • Wood Spirits
        • Remembering 9/11
        • WCTU Fountain
        • Close
      • Close
    • Annual Special Events
      • West Chicago Food Festival
      • Frosty 5K and Frosty Fest
      • Mexican Independence Day Festival
      • Blooming Fest
      • Close
    • Community Partners
      • West Chicago Public Library
      • West Chicago Park District
      • DuPage County Forest Preserve
      • Close
    • Close
  • Residents
    • Water & Sewer Billing
    • Garbage & Recycling
      • Garbage & Recycling Billing
      • Yard Waste Collection
      • Bulk Item Collection Event
      • Leaf Collection Events
      • Brush Collection Program
      • Close
    • Services & Programs
      • Animal Control
      • Rain Barrel Program
      • Snow Removal
      • Close
    • Healthy West Chicago
    • Residential Forms & Applications
    • Summer Lawn Sprinkling Restrictions
    • West Chicago Metra Station
      • Metra Lot Parking
      • Bicycle Locker Rental
      • Close
    • West Chicago Cemetery Information
    • Helpful Links
      • Links to Community Organizations
      • West Chicago Municipal Aggregation Program
      • Close
    • Welcome to West Chicago Brochure (pdf)
    • Close
  • Business
    • Existing Businesses
      • Assistance & Support
      • Business Registration Renewal
      • Zoning
      • Permits
      • Specialty Business Licenses
      • Forms and Applications
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Close
    • New Businesses
      • Steps to Opening a New Business
      • Operating A Business From Your Home
      • Close
    • Incentives & Programs
    • Economic Development Portal
    • Close
  • Government
    • Meeting Minutes & Agendas
    • Elected Officials
      • Mayor Ruben Pineda
      • City Council
      • City Clerk
      • Committees
      • Close
    • Commissions
      • Civil Service Commission
      • Cultural Arts Commission
      • Environmental Commission
      • Historical Preservation Commission
      • Liquor Control/Tobacco Commission
      • Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals
      • Close
    • City Departments
      • Organizational Chart
      • Administration
      • Administrative Services
      • Community Development
      • Police
      • Public Works
      • Close
    • Elections & Voting
      • Find Your Polling Place
      • Elections & Voting
      • Close
    • Municipal Code
      • Code Catalog
      • Property Maintenance Standards
      • FAQs
      • Close
    • Transparency Portal
    • Close
  • QUICK LINKS
    • E-Pay
    • Bid Postings
    • Job Opportunities
    • Obtain a Building Permit
    • FOIA Requests
    • Property Maintenance / Code Enforcement Brochure
    • Buying/Selling a Home
    • Social Services Resource Guide
    • Close

West Chicago Renews Commitment to Monarch Butterflies

March 15, 2021 By City of West Chicago

Photo of monarch butterfly on purple coneflower

A call for West Chicago residents and City staff to take steps to continue and increase the planting of milkweed and nectar plants to preserve and strengthen the monarch butterfly population is included in a Proclamation declaring March 31, 2021 as “Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day” in West Chicago.

The Proclamation will be read at the City Council meeting of Monday, March 15, 2021 and is a reaffirmation of the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF’s) Pledge, originally taken by Mayor Ruben Pineda in 2017.

West Chicago has been part of an expanding North American network of cities working to create habitat in public parks, public landscaping, vacant lots, roadsides, medians, green roofs, backyard gardens and open spaces throughout the entire community.

“Cities, towns and counties play a pivotal role in advancing monarch butterfly conservation in urban and suburban areas,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, Senior Director of Community Wildlife at the NWF. “By working together, we can ensure that every American child has a chance to experience majestic monarchs in their communities.”

According to the NWF, monarch butterflies numbered around 1 billion in 1996. Today, their numbers have declined significantly as a result of numerous threats, particularly the loss of habitat due to cropland conversion, urban development, and agricultural practices. Degradation of wintering habitat in Mexico and California has also had a negative impact on the species.

Over the years since signing the original Pledge, much has been accomplished to advance the mission to protect and conserve the monarch in West Chicago through education, outreach, milkweed seed distribution, the planting of official Monarch Waystations, public art projects and more. In 2019, the City celebrated The Year of the Butterfly with a collaborative project that brought 36 artfully decorated wooden butterflies to public gardens throughout the community. The City received a national award from America in Bloom for the best pollinator program among its member cities.

“Much more is planned for the future as two of the City’s volunteer Commissions, the Environmental Commission and the Cultural Arts Commission take the monarch ‘under their wings’ with plans to create exciting ways to educate and inspire the entire community to do its part this year,” said Mayor Pineda. “We are committed to the monarch and all pollinators in West Chicago,” he added.

The National Wildlife Federation is America’s largest conservation organization, uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world. Follow it on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Share this...
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin

Filed Under: Arts in West Chicago, Environment, Mayor Tagged With: DuPage Monarch Project, National Wildlife Federation, West Chicago Cultural Arts Commission, West Chicago Environmental Commission

e-Pay logo and link

West Chicago City Hall
475 Main Street
West Chicago, IL 60185

Phone: 630-293-2200
FAX: 630-293-3028

REQUEST

  • Business Forms
  • Resident Forms
  • Elections & Voting Info
  • FOIA
  • LexisNexis eCrash
  • Permits and Applications
  • Utility Services
  • Overnight Parking
  • Citizen Online Reporting
  • Vacation Watch

VIEW

  • GIS Maps
  • Job Opportunities
  • Metra Lot Parking
  • Municipal Code
  • Newsletters
  • Transparency Portal
  • Quest Bid System
  • West Chicago on YouTube

STAY UP-TO-DATE

  • Join Our Emailing List
  • Police News
  • Latest News Releases
  • Blogs
  • Community Calendar (Desktop)
  • Community Calendar (Mobile)
  • Media Center
  • INTERNAL EMAIL

Copyright 2022 © - City of West Chicago, Illinois - All rights reserved - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy - Legal Disclaimer
Site by Technivista