Urban Tree Regulation Proposed for Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Following the installation of Playa del Carmen’s Urban Tree Committee, the next step should be drafting a regulation to organize tree-planting campaigns and establish conservation criteria for the city’s existing trees, said Rafael Reynoso Valdés, a representative of the Mexican Arboriculture Association.

Reynoso Valdés said the regulation would provide a management plan for reforestation efforts and define which species are appropriate for each space, with the goal of avoiding damage to sidewalks, streets, utility infrastructure and other parts of the urban landscape.

He said one of the main objectives should be identifying areas of the city with the highest temperatures due to a lack of vegetation and developing specific strategies for those zones using native species.

The specialist also underscored the importance of authorities and experts determining in advance which trees can grow successfully in each area, taking into account the conditions of the urban environment.

Reynoso Valdés said the regulation should also protect trees that are already part of the city and prevent infrastructure projects from unnecessarily affecting them.

Playa del Carmen installed the committee last week, and Reynoso Valdés said the working groups need to begin meeting as soon as possible to move the regulation forward.

The intention, he said, is for Playa del Carmen to have a tree policy that goes beyond planting and includes species selection, placement, maintenance, conservation and long-term management.

This approach would allow tree-planting campaigns to help reduce urban heat islands and improve the city’s environmental conditions while avoiding conflicts between vegetation and urban infrastructure.