Residents and Tourists Reforest Playa 72 Access in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Residents of the Luis Donaldo Colosio neighborhood, joined by tourists and volunteers, carried out a reforestation drive Sunday morning at the access to Playa 72 in the Chen Zubul area, aiming to restore green areas and improve the look of one of the public beach access points.

Hiram Ávalos Medina, one of the organizers, said the initiative is designed to create a more pleasant space for residents and visitors by planting trees that will eventually provide shade and help mitigate the effects of heat and climate change.

Ávalos Medina pushed back against comments suggesting the reforestation is meant to keep vehicles out of the area. He said the goal is exclusively environmental and focused on reclaiming public space.

The activist said any decision about installing infrastructure to restrict vehicle entry or parking belongs solely to the Playa del Carmen City Council.

The event was open to anyone who wanted to take part. Attendees brought trees, soil and water to plant a variety of species suited to the coastal environment.

The organizer stressed that the effort will continue after planting, with volunteers handling watering and maintenance in the coming months, particularly as the region faces below-average rainfall.

He said the aim is to create a green corridor that will shade people using the beach access and improve the area’s environmental conditions, while also encouraging residents to take part in caring for public spaces.