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TO: Mayor Richard C. Irvin
FROM: Minnella, Alex
DATE: October 5, 2018
SUBJECT:
A Resolution Recognizing the Importance of Pollinators to Ecosystem Health, the Value of Increasing Awareness about Pollinators to Support, Protect and Sustain Pollinators (City of Aurora - 18-0920 / KDWK-18.120-PZ/S - AM - Ward )
PURPOSE:
The City of Aurora is requesting to recognize the importance of pollinators to ecosystem health, the value of increasing awareness about pollinators to support, protect and Sustain pollinators.
BACKGROUND:
Pollinators face a number of difficulties in modern society and as a result many species are threatened and their populations are in decline.
The pollinator's population has declined 90% in the past two decades, partly due to the loss of habitat.
The Fox Valley Park District, and municipalities up and down the Fox River pledged to take action on behalf of pollinators. The City of Aurora, with its natural features such as parks, and the Fox River, is strategically located in the central flyway used by several pollinators for their migrating journeys and is in a position to make a contribution to their recovery. The Monarchs butterflies are among them. With the City' commitment and its invaluable natural asset, the City will have many opportunities to make an impact for pollinators.
One of the City's core values is environmental education, stewardship and sustainability. The pollinator resolution is consistent with the City's ongoing initiatives to maintain milkweed and other native pollinator plants in our parks. The City currently offers educational information on its website and will soon feature interpretive signs at the rain gardens located along Water Street Mall, explaining the benefits of native plants and pollinators.
Going forward, the resolution incentivizes the City to take the following actions:
? Increase plantings of milkweed and other native pollinator plants
? Install signs near pollinator-friendly plantings to incre...
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