McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The National Wildlife Federation is honoring McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos and the City of McAllen with a butterfly garden outside City Hall.
The butterfly garden in partnership with Quinta Mazatlan, was made possible by a $2,000 grant from the National Wildlife Federation in honor of the continued support and efforts of the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge.
The Mayor’s Monarch Pledge consists of U.S. cities, municipalities and other communities committing to create habitats for the monarch butterfly and pollinators and to educate residents about how they can make a difference at home and in their community.
“For us here in McAllen, the monarch butterfly has a special place in our hearts,” said Villalobos. “We are always encouraging people to plant milkweed, plant whatever is necessary for them to keep on traveling, to keep on making sure the numbers keep on growing.”
The garden is pollinator-friendly and filled with over 200 plants native to the Valley.
Rebecca Quionez-Pinon, National Wildlife Federation Climate Resilient Habitats Director encourages residents to create pollinator-friendly gardens at home to prepare for butterfly migrations.
“It is very important to have three plants that bloom in the spring, three plants that bloom in the summer and three that bloom during the fall so they can regularly have plants that are providing nectar, not only for monarchs but for many other native pollinators,” said Quionez-Pinon.
