Guide to Issuing Proclamations for Healthy, Sustainable, Wildlife-Friendly Communities

Guide to Issuing Proclamations for
     Healthy, Sustainable, Wildlife-
          Friendly Communities

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Guide to Passing Healthy, Sustainable, Wildlife Friendly Proclamations
© 2021 National Wildlife Federation

National Wildlife Federation Lead Author:
Samantha R Miller

Acknowledgments:
We appreciate the entire National Wildlife Federation family that is
working to create healthy, sustainable, wildlife-friendly communities
across the United States. This includes our National Wildlife Federation
staff, our state affiliate partners, and our networks of communities,
individuals, and schools that are committed to creating healthy
communities that support both humans and wildlife.

Photo Credits:
Front Cover image: City of San Antonio
Second and Fifth images: Patrick Fitzgerald
Third and Fourth images: Mary Ann Borge

Program Websites:
Community Wildlife Habitat www.nwf.org/communitywildlifehabitat
Mayors’ Monarch Pledge: www.nwf.org/MayorsMonarchPledge
Garden for Wildlife: www.nwf.org/garden-for-wildlife
Trees for Wildlife: www.nwf.org/trees

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Table of Contents
                                     Introduction

How to Use this Guide                                     4
Healthy, Sustainable, Wildlife-Friendly Communities       5

    Template Proclamations for Healthy, Sustainable,
             Wildlife-Friendly Communities

May as Garden for Wildlife Month                           7
National Pollinator Week                                   9
Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day                                11

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

How to Use This Guide
 This guide is intended to support and guide mayors, city councilors, county
 commissioners, and municipal staff in issuing proclamations that will promote
 resident engagement around wildlife conservation and habitat restoration.
 Passing a “wildlife-friendly” proclamation shows a commitment to the local
 environment, supports community efforts that protect, restore, and conserve
 habitat, and fosters a greater connection between residents and wildlife. These
 efforts lead to community-wide benefits like more shade, open green space, and
 cleaner air and water.
 This guide showcases three national initiatives that any community can promote by
 issuing a proclamation. The proclamations featured in this guide are for Garden for
 Wildlife Month (May), Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day (First Saturday in October), and
 National Pollinator Week (Third Week in June). You will find a summary of each
 initiative and a template that you can customize for your community in this guide.
 While this guide focuses on three specific days, these template proclamations can
 also be leveraged for other national days like Earth Day, Arbor Day, the International
 Day for Biological Diversity, as well as days of local significance.
 Please share with us a copy of your proclamation by emailing it to
 community@nwf.org.

P OLLINATOR G ARDEN IN T ORONTO C ANADA PHOTO CREDIT : PATRICK FITZGERALD
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   © 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Healthy, Sustainable, Wildlife-
             Friendly Communities

Wildlife is disappearing at an alarming rate.
Habitat fragmentation, loss of native plants,
limited tree cover, and dwindling open
green spaces are major factors. At the same
time, mainstream garden and landscape
practices rely on chemicals exposing people
and wildlife to systemic harm.
Providing quality habitat for disappearing
monarch butterflies, bees, songbirds, and
other wildlife populations is one of the
most impactful actions that communities
can take to combat this crisis.
Through programs such as Mayors’ Monarch
Pledge™, Community Wildlife Habitat™, and
Trees for Wildlife™, more than 800
                                                         M USTARD WHITE BUTTERFLY ON Q UAKER LADIES . PHOTO BY
communities across the country are coming                M ARY A NNE B ORGE
together to make a positive impact in their
community for people and wildlife. The
Garden for Wildlife™ movement is helping
revolutionize the way people garden and
landscape to maximize the benefits to
wildlife and humans.
Through such efforts, wildlife and humans
can co-exist in sustainable, healthy,
communities. Humans benefit immensely
from time outdoors in nature and having
regular connections to nature can help the
brain, calm blood pressure, and stimulate a
positive mood. Purposeful activities, like
gardening, even provide sleep benefits.                  B UMBLE B EE ON A WINTERBERRY H OLLY. PHOTO BY
                                                         M ARY A NNE B ORGE

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     © 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Template Proclamations for
           Healthy, Sustainable, Wildlife-
               Friendly Communities

N ATIVE L ANDSCAPE IN BROWARD C OUNTY FL. PHOTO BY PATRICK FITZGERALD

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        © 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

May as Garden for Wildlife Month
Maintaining biodiverse ecosystems within cities and other urban communities
will continue to be a challenge in the coming decades. Garden for Wildlife
Month offers a range of options for anyone, anywhere, to help support local
wildlife and to restore and reconnect America’s natural spaces.
Garden for Wildlife is a movement that transforms landscapes to benefit
wildlife and people one garden at a time. Since 1973, Garden for Wildlife has
been the nation’s longest-running and largest movement dedicated to helping
wildlife locally and reconnecting our country’s amazing wild spaces one
person, one yard, one community and one state at a time.
If habitat is created with wildlife and biodiversity in mind, it will include a rich
diversity of native plants and trees that support entire urban wildlife
ecosystems. All wildlife-friendly habitats must provide wildlife with food,
water, cover, and places to raise their young. When managed using sustainable
practices, humans and wildlife can thrive. Natural landscapes with native
plants and trees can reduce heat islands, increase carbon sequestration,
manage stormwater runoff and are managed sustainably without chemicals.
Garden for Wildlife Month occurs as a national initiative through the National
Wildlife Federation every May. Your community can use the gardening content,
events and resources that are shared regularly throughout the month to
encourage residents to create their wildlife garden and certify it as a Certified
Wildlife Habitat. This is also an opportunity to promote and spearhead
festivals, community events, or campaigns that can educate residents about
wildlife conservation and empower them to transform their yards into wildlife-
friendly habitats.
Use this template as a guide in issuing a proclamation that recognizes May as
Garden for Wildlife Month.

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PROCLAMATION
                                     Garden for Wildlife Month

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] recognizes that wildlife species are declining at
                an unprecedented rate. Globally there are over a million species endangered with
                extinction and one-third of North American wildlife species are at increased risk of
                extinction in the coming decades; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] recognizes that human health ultimately depends
                on well-functioning ecosystems and that biodiverse regions can better support food
                production, healthy soil and air quality and can foster healthy connections between
                humans and wildlife; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] celebrates local wildlife and wild places such as
                [IF DESIRED MENTION SPECIES AND PLACES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO
                YOUR COMMUNITY]; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] is working to build a healthy, sustainable and
                wildlife-friendly community that brings the many benefits of nature to all corners of
                our community [IF DESIRED MENTION SPECIFIC LOCAL INITIATIVES]; and

WHEREAS,        Garden for Wildlife Month is a national initiative of the National Wildlife Federation
                that empowers Americans to support local wildlife, like birds and pollinators, by
                planting native plants in their garden and throughout the community to help restore and
                connect habitat; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] supports and promotes Garden for Wildlife
                Month throughout the community and encourages residents to participate, including
                certifying and maintaining their properties as a Certified Wildlife Habitat with the
                National Wildlife Federation; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] will continue to support local efforts that protect,
                restore, and conserve habitat and vital environmental resources, as well as foster a
                greater connection between residents and wildlife; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I [INSERT NAME OF INDIVIDUAL], by virtue of the authority vested in me
           as [INSERT TITLE] of [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME], do hereby proclaim May
           as:

                GARDEN FOR WILDLIFE MONTH

                in [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] and encourage all residents to plant native
                plants and participate in community activities that support and celebrate healthy,
                sustainable, wildlife-friendly communities.

       ______________________                         _____________________________________
       [INSERT DATE]                                   [INSERT NAME OF SIGNEE]

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

National Pollinator Week
The Pollinator Partnership founded National Pollinator Week in 2007. National
Pollinator Week is an international celebration of the valuable ecosystem
services provided by bees, birds, butterflies, bats, and beetles.
Pollinator species are experiencing population declines across North America
due to habitat loss, fragmentation, climate change, pesticides and invasive
species. Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are integral to maintaining
resilient ecosystems, and their importance will only grow as we face the long-
term effects of climate change.
Furthermore, pollinators serve an important role in food production and
biodiversity. More than 85 percent of flowering plants require an insect for
pollination. Each year pollinators affect $577 billion in global crops, including
$235 billion in the United States. Native bees pollinate an estimated 15 percent
of U.S fruit, nut, vegetable, and field crops.
We encourage you to issue a proclamation that will dedicate the third week in
June as National Pollinator Week. This can be issued to coincide with the
federal and state proclamations led by the Pollinator Partnership as well as
other local campaigns, events, or cultural festivals that are aligned with the
mission of pollinator conservation. Recognizing the role that pollinators have
in sustaining healthy human communities should be an annual commitment
for both local leaders and individuals. Use this template as a guide in issuing a
proclamation that recognizes one week in June as National Pollinator Week.
You will find the latest information online at
https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week.

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PROCLAMATION
                                         National Pollinator Week

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] is home to many native wildlife and pollinator
                species such as birds, bees, and insects which keep our environment healthy and
                biodiverse [IF DESIRED MENTION SPECIES AND PLACES THAT ARE
                IMPORTANT TO YOUR COMMUNITY]; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] recognizes that human health ultimately depends
                on well-functioning ecosystems and that biodiverse regions can better support food
                production, healthy soil and air quality and can foster healthy connections between
                humans and wildlife ; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] is working to build a healthy, sustainable and
                wildlife-friendly community that brings the many benefits of nature to all corners of
                our community [IF DESIRED MENTION SPECIFIC LOCAL INITIATIVES]; and
WHEREAS,        Pollinators play an important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Local plant
                species, wildlife, and urban agriculture all depend on pollination from bees, butterflies,
                and other insects; and

WHEREAS,        In urban communities, pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining sustainable urban
                agriculture and local community gardens; and

WHEREAS,        Pollinator species are in decline due to habitat loss and the use of pesticides, causing
                species like the monarch butterfly to decline significantly in the past 25 years; and

WHEREAS,        National Pollinator Week is a national initiative that offers opportunities to individuals
                and communities to help restore native habitat, support local pollinator species; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] will continue to support local, state and national
                efforts that protect, restore, and conserve habitat for pollinators, as well as foster a
                greater connection between residents and wildlife; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I [INSERT NAME OF INDIVIDUAL], by virtue of the authority vested in me
           as [INSERT TITLE] of [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME], do hereby proclaim June
           [INSERT WEEK] as:

                POLLINATOR WEEK

                in [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] and encourage all residents to participate in
                community activities that support and celebrate pollinator protection.

       ______________________                          _____________________________________
       [INSERT DATE]                                    [INSERT NAME OF SIGNEE]

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day
Several hundred mayors and other heads of local and tribal government have
taken the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge and are taking action to help save the
monarch butterfly, an iconic species whose eastern populations have declined
by as much as 90 percent and western populations by 99 percent in recent
years.
Habitat loss is the primary cause of these significant declines. Due to land
conversion and or urban development, 90 percent of the grassland ecosystems
along the monarch’s central migratory flyway corridor have been lost.
Pesticides are also a danger. Herbicides kill both native nectar plants where
adult monarchs feed, as well as the milkweed their caterpillars need as host
plants. Insecticides kill the monarchs themselves. Climate change alters the
timing of migration as well as weather patterns, posing a risk to monarchs
during migration and while overwintering.
Signing the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge is the best way to commit to creating
habitat for monarchs and educating residents about how they can make a
difference at home. Use this template as a guide in issuing a proclamation
announcing your community’s commitment to monarch butterfly conservation
and taking the pledge.
Learn more at www.nwf.org/MayorsMonarchPledge

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

PROCLAMATION
                                     Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day

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,        Both the western and eastern monarch populations have seen significant declines with
                less than one percent of the western monarch population remaining, while the eastern
                population has fallen by as much as ninety percent; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] recognizes that human health ultimately depends
                on well-functioning ecosystems and that biodiverse regions can better support food
                production, healthy soil and air quality and can foster healthy connections between
                humans and wildlife ; and

WHEREAS,        Cities, towns and counties have a critical role to play to help save the monarch
                butterfly, and [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] is striving to become a leader; and

WHEREAS,        On [INSERT DATE], I [INSERT NAME OF INDIVIDUAL], signed the National
                Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge and have officially committed to taking
                meaningful action to protect the monarch butterfly; and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] has committed to [LIST THE ACTION ITEMS
                COMMITTED TO OR THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON,
                ACKNOWLEDGE PARTNERS OR SPECIAL INITIATIVES]; and

WHEREAS,        Every resident of [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] can make a difference for the
                monarch by planting native milkweed and nectar plants to provide habitat for the
                monarch and pollinators in locations where people live, work, learn, play and worship;
                and

WHEREAS,        [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME], has committed to [INSERT SPECIFIC
                ACTIONS THAT YOUR COMMUNITY IS TAKING] ]; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I [INSERT NAME OF INDIVIDUAL], by virtue of the authority vested in me
           as [INSERT TITLE] of [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME], do hereby proclaim
           [Month], [Day], [Year] as:

                Mayors’ Monarch Pledge Day

                in [INSERT MUNICIPALITY NAME] and encourage all residents to participate in
                community activities that support and celebrate monarch conservation.

       ______________________                        _____________________________________
       [INSERT DATE]                                  [INSERT NAME OF SIGNEE]

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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© 2021 NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED