In response to environmental damage from construction along the Guadalajara-Puerto Vallarta highway, local authorities have launched a significant reforestation initiative aiming to plant 5,200 trees throughout the city.
As part of the “Trees from Plaza to Plaza” campaign, residents are invited to adopt ornamental trees and receive guidance on planting and care. Led by Bartolo Cruz Romero, Director of Environmental Sustainability for Puerto Vallarta, the program encourages community participation in greening efforts.
Cruz Romero explained that the reforestation activities will take place during the rainy season, from June to September. A mobile adoption station will rotate through various public squares weekly or biweekly, allowing residents to adopt trees. Each tree will be accompanied by an information sheet detailing its common name, uses, and care instructions.
“This initiative supports our application for the 2025 Tree Cities of the World recognition, which will be evaluated in 2026,” said Cruz Romero. “We aim to promote not just planting trees but also their ongoing maintenance and care.”
Participants will be required to register by providing their personal details, enabling the Environmental Sustainability Department to monitor tree care and offer location advice suited to each species, whether along sidewalks, in planters, or in green spaces.
The program emphasizes reforestation and public engagement, fostering ecological awareness and community involvement. Species available for adoption include parota, primavera, rosamorada, ciricote (cordia), myrtle, golden shower, citrus varieties, native guajes, fig trees, and ceiba. Most are already two meters tall, ready to be planted in urban and recreational areas.
The campaign officially kicks off this Saturday with a tree-planting event at the Pitillal River Linear Park, near Pesquera Technical Secondary School.
