Our “Save Our Trees” initiative is dedicated to preserving the natural beauty and health of native trees in our community parks and open spaces. At Parque Landeta and the Peninsula near Presa Allende, hundreds of trees are under threat from invasive plant species that compromise their survival and the biodiversity around them.

We urgently need your help to protect these trees, by removing these invasive plants that are taking over and to allow these trees to reutrn to health.  Together, we can make a lasting impact on our environment, protect the local ecosystem, and create a greener future for generations to come.

Why Volunteer?

• Make a tangible difference by working directly to save local trees.
• Join a passionate community committed to environmental preservation.
• Learn hands-on conservation techniques and the importance of biodiversity.

Your support is crucial. Volunteer with us to Save Our Trees and be part of a movement to restore and protect our precious green spaces.

Help Us Reach Our Goal of 200 Cleaned Trees

Invite your friends, family and neighbors to join you in removing invasive plants from our native trees.  We promise you will find this a valuable and rewarding experience.  

We supply all the equipment, but if you have a good tree pruning saw and/or a ladder, please bring them! 

Sunday, November 24

HOURS:  8:30am until 11:30 am.

LOCATION:  Parque Landeta (map) 

RSVP: Please let us know you are coming by sending us an email (address below). Include:

• Tree cleaning November, 2024 in subject line
• Your name
• if others will be coming with you
• if you would like a ride to the park (we will try, but can’t promise!)

RSVP to:  audubondemexico@gmail.com

Together we can save our native trees.

Trees are invaluable

It is not possible to overstate the value of a tree.

When they breathes out, it helps us breathe in. Their canopies shade us from the sun and provide sanctuary during rainstorms. Their roots hold soil in place and provide nutrients to the soil. Their leaves, fruit and seeds are a source of food and medicine for people and animals. Their strong branches support nests and roosts for animals on the hunt or needing a rest. Their different shapes, sizes, textures and vibrant colors contribute beauty to the landscape and you probably won’t be surprised to know that being around trees can actually chase our blues away.

What’s more, trees are one of our best natural defenses against climate change, desertification and the water scarcity challenges that are hurtling toward us.

For all of these reasons, and for the sake of the trees themselves, Audubon de Mexico is operating a community Save a Tree program.

Importance of native trees

Our native are well adapted to long periods of drought and have developed uniquely beneficial relationships with our native fauna.  As members of the legume family, they add nitrogen to the soil which is an essential nutrient for the growth of all plant life.

Native trees need our help

Our native Mesquite and Huizaches are suffering from an epidemic of Paxtle (Tillandsia Recurvata), commonly known as la Plaga and two species of invasive mistletoe.

Paxtle, is a plant that survives on air, but uses trees (and other surfaces) as a structure to live upon.  In small quantities it is not harmful to trees, but right now thousands of native trees in San Miguel are covered with large colonies of Paxtle, which blocks the sunlight they need to produce food, leaves and seeds.  Eventually these trees will weaken, lose their ability to reproduce and ultimately die.

Mistletoe is a parasite that toots itself into a tree branch, stealing water and minerals at the tree’s expense. When combined with other significant stresses, such as drought, injury or the presence of other plagues, death can occur.

If these plagues are not addressed, we stand to lose what remains of our urban forests and individual native trees throughout our community.

The time to act is now!

Paxtle, Tillandsia recurvata

Research on the negative effects of  Tillandsia recurvata

                         Read Article 1       Read Article 2

Read Article 3      Read Article 4

Cleaning trees works!

To test the value and process of cleaning trees, in February 2021 we led a clean-up supported by thirty volunteers.  With an engaged, responsive volunteer crew, pruners, saws and ladders we removed infestations of Paxtle in 30 trees in just one day. And what’s more, the results of this effort were impressive.  Returning to the site six weeks later, we discovered that the cleaned trees, which in February were lacking leaves, had fully burst into leaf. We now have three years of experience and the trees that we have cleaned are now healthy and beautiful.

Tree Inventory

In June, 2021 Audubon board members worked with two groups of youth volunteers with San Miguelense Chingon to inventory trees at Parque Landeta.  We tagged and counted the trees heavily infested Paxtle in a section of the park and used Google Maps to estimate the total number of trees at risk within the entire park.  As many as 1400 trees are at risk,  right now.