Mérida Opens First Green Corridor to Fight Climate Change

Mérida, Yucatán — Mayor Cecilia Patrón Laviada inaugurated Mérida’s first Green Corridor on Sunday in Ciudad Caucel, a project covering more than 59,000 square meters and stretching 1.36 kilometers that officials describe as an urban lung, a wildlife refuge and a measure to mitigate climate change.

The new ecological sanctuary grew out of the 2025 participatory budget program Diseña tu Ciudad (Design Your City) and was developed in coordination with the Center for Scientific Research of Yucatán (CICY). Crews planted more than 1,000 trees from 29 native species to build it.

Three Themed Areas

The corridor’s design includes three themed sections: the Solar Garden, with fruit species such as star apple, ciricote and nance; the Rejollada Garden; and trails inspired by the region’s low deciduous forest.

To help urban wildlife survive, the space features a pond with a pedestrian bridge, biofilters, wetland monitoring systems and low-intensity LED lighting designed to avoid disturbing nocturnal species. Organizers also deliberately preserved mounds of earth and stone to serve as shelter for reptiles and opossums.

During the inauguration, accompanied by Raúl Escalante Aguilar, director of the Municipal Environment and Animal Welfare Unit, Patrón Laviada said the project will act as a thermal regulator to reduce the impact of heat waves on the city’s west side.

Wider Reforestation Push

The mayor noted that the corridor adds to other tree-planting policies in the municipality. She said the city has adopted more than 63,400 trees through the “One Family, One Tree” program, planted more than 20,000 specimens through the Forest Crusade and protected 200 heritage trees.

As part of that ecological expansion, she announced that the municipality will soon have a second Green Corridor in the Brisas area.