Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The City of Howell is gearing up for its annual Arbor Day celebration but also taking action to help conserve, protect, and save the monarch butterfly.

Mayor Bob Ellis updated Council at its last meeting that he was approached by the National Wildlife Federation regarding the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge. The pledge is a tri-national effort including Canada and Mexico to bring attention and awareness to the decline of Monarchs and how communities can help turn this around.

Per Wikipedia by 2024, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service calculated that the eastern butterflies had declined by approximately 80% since the 1980s. The western population was more imperiled, declining by 95%. According to the USFWS, the species faces a host of threats including the loss and degradation of its breeding, migratory, and overwintering habitats, exposure to insecticides, and the growing impacts of climate change.

Since 2015, the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge program has welcomed over 1900 pledges and helped restore more than 11,500 acres of monarch habitat. The pledge has three parts. The first involves taking the pledge online, which gives the City access to online resources, webinars, monthly newsletters, etc. Part two is the action plan and part three involves reporting progress via an annual report.

It was stated that even before receiving the Mayor's pledge information, Beautification Group Leader Robin Edmonds and the DPW had already been working on plans to complete the following items:

-Work with Cemetery and Parks to look at mowing programs and milkweed planting programs
-Engage with local gardening clubs to support monarch conservation.

-Beautification department hosting a table at Arbor Day to spread awareness.

-Add milkweed in community gardens, parks, and right of ways, including signage about the plight of the monarch and what’s being done to support them.

A DPW memo stated “Based on the above information, the timing couldn’t have been better, and we are excited to be a part of this program”.

The NWF also announced the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge deadline has been extended to April 30th. It encourages people to send a letter urging their mayor or head of local government to join the movement to protect monarchs before the new deadline.



Separately, Council adopted its annual proclamation in observance of Arbor Day.

The City of Howell is observing 37 consecutive years as a Tree City USA community and is commemorating its 38th annual Arbor Day celebration.

The Arbor Day celebration involves a tree planting and education efforts to teach children about the environment. It will take place just south of the Thompson Lake boat launch (picnic/gathering area) on Friday, April 25th from 9am to noon. All are welcome to attend.

The third-grade classes from Voyager Elementary will be participating. Chem-Trend of Howell is again sponsoring the celebration and various educational participating partners will be on-site. The Michigan DNR, Recycle Livingston, Livingston County Health Department, the beautification team (DPW), HRC, Howell Garden Club, and the Howell Police and Fire Departments will all be hosting tables at the event.

The City’s Arbor Day Proclamation is attached, and links are provided to more information about the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge.

Monarch Photos: National Wildlife Federation & U.S. Fish Wildlife Service.