We call on Mayor Mamdani to sign the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge and make New York City a national leader in urban pollinator conservation. We also ask the Mayor to incorporate native pollinator gardens into his promised 500 green schoolyards and create pollinator-friendly habitat in the city's recent plans to convert concrete roadway medians into green infrastructure. 

Why Pollinators Need Our Help

Monarch butterflies and other pollinators are experiencing serious declines as native habitat disappears and threats such as pesticide exposure, climate change, and poorly timed vegetation management reduce the resources they need to survive. New York State agencies estimate that 40–60% of the state’s pollinator species are at risk of disappearing. Pollinators are also essential to healthy ecosystems, supporting the reproduction of more than 85% of flowering plants, including many food crops. Pollinator services are estimated to contribute to the production of $470 million worth of crops grown in New York and add $29 billion in value to crop production nationally each year.

A Practical Solution for New York City

New York City has an opportunity to be part of the solution. Parks, schoolyards, medians, rights-of-way, gardens, and other public spaces can provide valuable habitat when planted with native plants that support our pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. The Mayors' Monarch Pledge by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) provides a roadmap and technical assistance to help cities protect pollinators by raising awareness and encouraging the creation or maintenance of pollinator-friendly habitats. Since 2015, the program has helped create over 11,000 acres of green spaces and engaged over 11 million citizens across the Monarch’s range in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Most importantly, many actions undertaken by Parks and Rec in recent years would qualify NYC for certification by NWF! Your office has the power to raise significant awareness on the plight of pollinators through a press release, social media post, or a proclamation. With your influence, New Yorkers can become more likely to plant a native garden, support local pollinator organizations, and learn to accept pollinator areas instead of conventional lawns that require frequent mowing, irrigation, and chemical inputs. Reducing the frequency of mowing in public spaces will also reduce City expenses. 

An Opportunity in NYC’s 500 Green Schoolyards

Your promise to create 500 green schoolyards represents an extraordinary opportunity to combine urban conservation with education and neighborhood improvement. By incorporating native nectar plants, milkweeds, shrubs, trees, and other locally appropriate vegetation, these schoolyards can become part of a citywide network of habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. Pollinator gardens can become living outdoor classrooms, giving New York City students opportunities to experience ecology, migration, native plants, and conservation firsthand while creating greener and more beautiful school environments.

Mayor Mamdani, sign the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, make pollinator habitat part of our green schoolyards and street medians, and turn New York City into a national model for urban conservation.