The City of Greensboro has signed on to a national effort to help protect monarch butterflies. 

City officials, along with Mayor Nancy Vaughan, have signed the National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, signaling a commitment to help boost a declining monarch butterfly population.

According to a news release, the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department will lead an effort to help re-establish native habitats for butterflies and other pollinators, and educate the public about the environmental impact they can have.

Greensboro currently maintains a number of pollinator gardens throughout the city. The Greensboro Arboretum hosts a certified monarch waystation, and the Greensboro Science Center is expanding its butterfly conservation projects.

Officials say monarch butterfly numbers have declined by about 90 percent since the 1990s due to loss of habitat.

By signing the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, Greensboro joins a national effort to enhance butterfly conservation in urban and suburban areas.