DuPage County GIS Division receives Pollinator Protector of the Year Award

The DuPage Monarch Project has named the GIS Division of DuPage County as this year’s Pollinator Protector of the Year.

GIS Manager Tom Ricker, Senior GIS Analyst Tamara Freihat, and Senior GIS Analyst Mary Elliot created a Pollinator Habitat Map that provides a landscape-scale view of the amount and location of pollinator habitat in DuPage County. Their contribution is a major step forward for the conservation of the native bees and butterflies supplying essential pollinating services.

The impetus for mapping pollinator habitat came from a new honey bee ordinance passed by DuPage County in 2024 which made it easier to raise bees on residential land in unincorporated areas.

In anticipation of more hives and greater pressure on existing floral resources, Commissioner Lucy Chang Evans reached out to the DuPage Monarch Project to discuss how more habitat could be established to meet the growing need for forage. It was decided the first step was knowing the amount of existing habitat and where it is located.

GIS staff worked throughout 2025 to establish an online Hubsite where natural areas and restorations can be submitted to the map. Many of these areas are found in parks, preserves and cities but all native plantings, such as monarch or pollinator gardens at schools, churches, businesses and residences qualify as habitat and can be added to the map.

As habitat is added to the map, there will be a way of assessing the impact of honey bee hives on the surrounding foraging resources. Balancing the number of hives with the amount of forage needed to sustain both honey and native bees is one component of protecting the native bees that play key environmental and agricultural roles. Knowing where there is habitat will also help identify where new natural areas can be added that increase habitat connectivity.

Connected habitat improves the genetic diversity of native bees, increases the availability of flowers for pollen specialist bees and may be instrumental in repopulating areas subject to disturbance such as flooding or exposure to pesticides.

The Pollinator Mapping Habitat initiative puts DuPage County at the forefront of pollinator conservation. By supporting native bees and other wildlife, it helps nature thrive close to home — and may inspire other communities to work together on creating landscapes that sustain pollinators.

The Pollinator Protector of the Year Award will be presented at an upcoming county board meeting.

For information, visit dupagemonarchs.com.