The Township of King is one of the nine municipalities that make up the Regional Municipality of York. With a total area of 339 km2 the Township is home to some of the province’s most scenic landscapes and country sides. The municipality falls within the Greenbelt and Oak Ridges Moraine and possesses a large amount of natural and ecological significance.
The Township of King is committed to conserving and enhancing pollinator and monarch habitat through native wildflower plantings, wildflower and milkweed seed giveaways, educational workshops, signage, citizen science monitoring, programming as well as nature-based education. Participating in the Mayors Monarch pledge directly aligns with municipal priorities while also supporting Environmental Stewardship initiatives focused on educating and engaging residents and enhancing monarch and pollinator habitat.
2022 Actions
Communications and Convening
- Create a community art project to enhance and promote monarch and pollinator conservation as well as cultural awareness and recognition.
- Engage with gardening leaders and partners (e.g., Master Naturalists, Master Gardeners, Nature Centres, Native Plant Society Chapters, other long-standing and influential community leaders) to support monarch butterfly conservation.
- 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 community garden groups and urge them to plant native milkweeds and nectar-producing plants.
- Launch or maintain a public communication effort to encourage residents to plant monarch gardens at their homes or in their neighbourhoods. (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).
Program and Demonstration Gardens
- Display educational signage at monarch gardens and pollinator habitat.
- Launch, expand, or continue an invasive species removal program that will support the re-establishment of native habitats for monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
- Add or maintain native milkweed and nectar producing plants in community gardens.
- Initiate or support community science (or citizen science) efforts that help monitor monarch migration and health.
- Launch or maintain an outdoor education program(s) (e.g., at schools, after-school programs, community centres and groups) that builds awareness and creates habitat by engaging students, educators, and the community in planting native milkweed and pollinator-friendly native nectar plants (i.e., National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools USA Schoolyard Habitats program and Monarch Mission curriculum).
- Plant or maintain a monarch and pollinator-friendly demonstration garden at City Hall or another prominent or culturally significant community location.
- Facilitate or support a milkweed seed collection and propagation effort.
- Host or support a native seed or plant sale, giveaway or swap.
Systems Change
- Integrate monarch butterfly conservation into the city’s Park Master Plan, Sustainability Plan, Climate Resiliency Plan or other city plans.
- Direct city property managers to consider the use of native milkweed and nectar plants at city properties where possible.
- Change weed or mowing ordinances to allow for native prairie and plant habitats.
2021 Recognition Status
Participating municipalities are required to complete a minimum of three actions annually from the National NWF list of 24 actions for municipalities. In 2021, the Township of King received Leadership Circle recognition which is awarded to participants who complete eight or more actions.
Mayors' Monarch Pledge Resolution
Mayors' Monarch Pledge Report to Council
In 2022 King Township Received Leadership Circle Recognition
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To learn more about the Mayors' Monarch Pledge visit The National Wildlife Federation.