Nuevo Leon Expands Urban Reforestation Strategy

Nuevo Leon’s Ministry of Environment continues the planting of native trees across school campuses as part of the broader Citizen Forests initiative, a statewide urban reforestation strategy. As part of the welcome activities for the February–July 2026 semester, a tree-planting event was held at CECyTE García II. 

“Each tree planted in this school soil represents a vote of confidence in life, an act of commitment and the firm resolve of this administration to transform educational spaces into forests of learning and environmental awareness,” said Raúl Lozano, Minister of Environment, Nuevo Leon. During the event, students, teachers and administrative staff actively participated in planting native species on school grounds.

In October, a similar activity took place at Secundaria Bicentenario de la Independencia de Mexico, with the participation of students, teachers and parents. As part of that initiative, 15 native trees were planted on the school campus. Additionally, through the Help the Trees program, more specimens were distributed to mothers and fathers to extend environmental benefits into households and strengthen a culture of care and preservation of the natural environment.

Through these actions, the Ministry of Environment reaffirms its commitment to environmental education and to transforming educational spaces into healthier environments. The initiative provides key ecosystem services, including improving air quality, generating shaded areas that moderate temperature and create spaces for social interaction, enhancing the school landscape and converting gray areas into functional green spaces that promote biodiversity and community well-being.

According to Lozano, the program, reactivated in October 2025, is planned to expand to other municipalities such as Escobedo, Santa Catarina and the northwestern area of Monterrey, as these sectors experience high temperatures and will significantly benefit from increased tree coverage.

The School Forests program forms part of the broader Citizen Forests project, which seeks to create and care for urban forests that improve the quality of life of families in Nuevo Leon and strengthen the environmental resilience of the territory.

The initiative includes interventions at the Explanada de los Heroes and surrounding areas in downtown Monterrey, where 73 native trees have already been planted, with plans to exceed 90. At the Explanada, the project includes 64 large trees, including Montezuma cypress and oak, as well as 1,500 herbaceous plants and pollinator gardens designed to attract birds and butterflies.

“Our Citizen Forests project is the most important project not only in Nuevo Leon, I dare say, but in Latin America, in terms of planting native trees throughout the metropolitan area and across the entire state,” Lozano said.

According to the Ministry of Environment, the initiative addresses structural environmental pressures in Nuevo Leon, including air quality challenges linked to PM2.5 and PM10 particles, water stress and limited green space in urban areas. In some parts of Monterrey, green space amounts to approximately 4 m2 per inhabitant, below the 9 to 12 square meters recommended by the World Health Organization.

Lozano underscored that studies show that where there is a tree, there is an average temperature difference of between 15 and 20 degrees. “We want downtown Monterrey to stop being a heat island,” he said. Moreover, trees can capture up to 150kg of pollutants per year and produce more than 28% of the oxygen present in the atmosphere, according to program data. Authorities also note that a 100-year-old tree can generate more than 6,000kg of oxygen over its lifetime.

Beyond air quality and heat mitigation, the program incorporates water management considerations following the state’s 2022 water crisis. Tree roots support water infiltration, reduce erosion and help stabilize soils, contributing to aquifer recharge.

Citizen Forests also promotes participation from companies, schools, civil organizations and municipalities, positioning reforestation as a shared responsibility. The government has framed the initiative as part of Nuevo Leon’s environmental strategy ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when Monterrey will host international visitors.

“We want to present the best image to our citizens and to those who visit us, to have a cooler, greener city with better air to breathe; the environmental component goes hand in hand with the great celebration that awaits us,” Lozano said