West Chicago's Monarch conservation efforts to be featured in upcoming conservation video

Mayor Ruben Pineda shared his pride for West Chicago's monarch conservation efforts last week as he was interviewed for a video being produced by the DuPage Monarch Project and The Conservation Foundation.

Speaking at the colorful front garden of the Kruse House where the West Chicago Garden Club installed a large artist-painted butterfly from the city's 2019 celebration of The Year of the Butterfly, Mayor Pineda spoke about the work of many in the community who have embraced the mission of monarch conservation through pollinator gardens, education, art, history and cultural efforts.

The video will capture the story of DuPage County cities, villages, and park districts coming together to provide a summer home for monarch and pollinators through habitat and engagement with residents and visitors.

Several butterfly-friendly communities will be featured on the short video, with city leaders saying a few words about their commitment to monarchs. Mayor Pineda was one such leader who signed the Mayor's Monarch Pledge in 2017. Since then, West Chicago residents and community organizations have installed new pollinator gardens, launched several public art projects focused on monarchs, and inspired a greater interest in monarch conservation. Their collective efforts rewarded West Chicago with a national designation from the America in Bloom organization as the Best Pollinator Program among its member communities in 2019.

The full video is scheduled for release early next year and promises to include stunning footage of the beauty of monarch habitats and their success in attracting butterflies.