Sheinbaum decreed the reforestation day an annual event and proposed renaming the Cortés Pass, between two volcanoes, the 'Pass of the Indigenous Peoples.'

This article by Néstor Jiménez originally appeared in the August 9, 2026 edition of La Jornada, Mexico’s premier left-wing daily newspaper.

San Nicolás de los Ranchos, Puebla. From the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park, President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo kicked off the National Reforestation Day, and decreed that it be repeated every year, on the second Sunday of August. And, recalling that this Sunday is also the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, she proposed renaming the Paso de Cortés, which runs between the two volcanoes, and now calling it “Paso de los Pueblos Indígenas” (Pass of the Indigenous Peoples).

Accompanied by the governor of Puebla, Alejandro Armenta, as well as by the secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader), of Welfare, of National Defense, and of the Navy, the president planted a pine and a fir (oyamel). Meanwhile, all the country’s governors, as well as the Head of Government of Mexico City, linked up through a simultaneous broadcast in each state to also begin the reforestation day, with the national goal of planting 6.6 million trees on this day.

President Claudia Sheinbaum at the launch of the National Reforestation Day

President Claudia Sheinbaum began the National Reforestation Day at the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park, in the Puebla municipality of San Nicolás de los Ranchos, on August 9, 2026. Photo: Presidencia

With the Popocatépetl in the background, the head of the federal Executive swore in the environmental defenders. She urged them to “put all your effort, knowledge, heart, and passion into protecting the natural wealth of Mexico, made up of forests, jungles, and the other ecosystems of our country; to care for its natural resources, safeguard its lakes, rivers, mountains, and mangroves, preserve and strengthen the agricultural zones that sustain us, and watch over the well-being of the inhabitants of Mexico, of the original peoples and Afro-Mexican communities.”

President Sheinbaum addresses environmental defenders

President Claudia Sheinbaum asked environmental defenders to put all their effort into protecting Mexico’s natural wealth. Photo: Néstor Jiménez

Recalling that the Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) program, which began under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, already involves 400,000 planters, she added that in eight years they have reforested with more than 1.5 billion fruit and timber trees.

She explained that the best-preserved areas of the national territory are those occupied by the communities, the peoples, the territories of the Indigenous peoples. “It is there that the conservation of nature has been demonstrated historically for hundreds of years, for thousands of years. It was recognized that there could be no development, as we call it today, without care for the environment and natural resources. Sembrando Vida has that vision: to recognize the Indigenous peoples, there where the territory has been preserved and where various schemes have prevented or spread fires or deforestation, and there to provide sustenance to the communities so they continue conserving the territory,” she added.

For this reason, she proposed changing the name of the Paso de Cortés, since, moreover, “the peoples passed through here long before. So today, the International Day of Indigenous Peoples, let us call this pass the Paso de los Pueblos Indígenas.”

Activists welcome President Sheinbaum at the Izta-Popo park

Activists from the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl region welcomed President Claudia Sheinbaum, who led the work of the National Reforestation Day. Photo: Presidencia

Mexico is a forest country, in which 70 percent of the territory is covered by forests, jungles, mangroves, scrublands, and different ecosystems, highlighted Alicia Bárcena, head of Semarnat. “This restoration is what can undoubtedly lead us to recover soils, to strengthen the forest economy. The time has come to make peace with nature, and that is why it is a collective task,” said the federal official.

Semarnat head Alicia Bárcena at the National Reforestation Day

Alicia Bárcena, head of Semarnat, took part in the National Reforestation Day. Photo: Presidencia

Meanwhile, the head of Sader, Columba López, detailed that today more than 6 million trees and more than 1.7 million seeds will be planted directly, while nearly half a million more will be dispersed with drones in hard-to-reach areas. In total, more than 32,000 hectares will be covered.

The National Reforestation Day at the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park

The National Reforestation Day takes place at the Iztaccíhuatl-Popocatépetl National Park, in the municipality of San Nicolás de los Ranchos, Puebla, on August 9, 2026. Photo: Presidencia

It is “a historic day of reforestation in the Mexican Republic,” with an estimated participation of more than 241,000 people across the country reforesting at the same time, she explained. “From this day on, we commit to producing and planting 1.5 billion plants and trees, and to also doing so with seeds, between now and 2030,” she added. After calling on the entire population to join this day, she indicated that on the websites of Sader and Semarnat there are links to locate the points where these actions will take place.

She noted that different trees will be planted in each region. For example, in Aguascalientes, mesquite, palo dulce, and huizache will be planted; in Baja California, sage and oak; in the southeast, humid-tropic species; and in the mountainous areas, pines and firs. In addition to mangroves.

As part of the reforestation day, they will use large drones used for the agricultural sector, which allow seeds to be dispersed in hard-to-reach places and to cover large areas in a short time. During the event, a demonstration of seven of these drones was carried out.

The post Sheinbaum Kicks Off the National Reforestation Day in Puebla; the Goal Is to Plant 6.6 Million Trees in a Day appeared first on Mexico Solidarity Media.

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