Almost there! Pollinator habitat initiative closing in on goal of 1,000 by year’s end

We laid out the challenge in September: help the Texas Butterfly Ranch reach 1,000 pollinator habitats pledged by the end of the year as part of our 2022 Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Festival.

The community responded. Today our initiative, started in 2018, brags 976 pollinator habitats pledged. Check out the map below to see for yourself.

We only need 24 more habitats to reach our four-figure goal.

The effort is just the latest rally by pollinator-friendly San Antonio, the nation’s premiere Monarch Butterfly Champion City.

In December of 2015, San Antonio became the first city in the country to agree to act on all 24 recommendations made by the National Wildlife Federation to increase urban pollinator habitat as part of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge. A citywide pollinator gardening initiative was among the action items pledged.

Let neighbors know why your yard looks the way it does–add a pollinator habitat sign.

Since, the NWF has boosted the recommended requirements to 30 action items, and minimal participation means mayors must commit their cities to three. Cities that commit to eight or more actions will receive special recognition as part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Leadership Circle, and those that take on 24 or more actions will be recognized as a Monarch Champion.

To date, more than 900 mayors have taken the pledge–including those of cities in Mexico and Canada. Ten cities have achieved Monarch Champion status.

Our initiative is geared to individuals and helps us meet San Antonio’s requirements.  It started as a local effort and has grown over time.

Ready to sign up? Check out our resources:

Sign up for the pollinator habitat challenge.

Plant lists and other pollinator gardening resources.

Pollinator habitat signs are available in our shop.

TOP PHOTO: Build it and they will come. Swallowtail on Mexican flame vine. Photo by Monika Maeckle

Related posts:

• 300for300 pollinator initiative: 500 habitats by 2020?
• Popularity of pollinator gardens growing in areas prone to drought
• Planting a butterfly garden? Here’s tips on how to do it
• Mostly native butterfly garden outperforms lawn every time
• Downtown River walk plot converts to pollinator garden, creature haven
• Converting your Lawn to a Butterfly Garden
• San Antonio becomes first National Wildlife Federation Monarch Champion city

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