The municipality of Toluca, Mexico, an ICLEI Member in the Mexico, Central America and Caribbean region, is advancing an integrated approach to urban resilience through environmental restoration, responsible management of urban trees, public space recovery, and investment in community infrastructure. As urban growth continues to create challenges for green space conservation, public safety, and community well-being, the municipality is combining nature-based solutions with urban planning and long-term investment to address these challenges.
Through these actions, Toluca is working to create healthier, safer, and more inclusive environments while incorporating citizen participation and long-term planning into its approach to sustainable urban development.
In 2026, the municipal government launched its 2026 Restoration Strategy, aimed at increasing vegetation coverage and strengthening the city’s green infrastructure. As part of the initiative, thousands of residents participated in a reforestation campaign that resulted in the planting of 15,000 trees and plants across different areas of the municipality, including Alameda 2000, Paseo Tollocan, Bordo de San Jerónimo, Real de San Pablo, San Cayetano, and Los Sauces.
The campaign forms part of a broader restoration strategy. According to the municipality, a total of 24,000 trees and plants had been established during the year, contributing toward the program’s goal of planting 126,000 trees and plants.
The strategy also prioritizes species adapted to local environmental conditions. During an additional activity, approximately 400 municipal employees participated in planting 2,200 maguey plants at Bordo San Jerónimo, strengthening green areas while contributing to the municipality’s broader objective of developing a greener and more resilient city.
Expanding vegetation coverage is accompanied by measures to ensure the responsible management of Toluca’s natural assets. Based on specialized technical assessments and the State Environmental Technical Standard, the municipality determined that only 1.3% of the urban tree population required replacement because it posed a potential risk to residents.
The intervention included the replacement of 26 cedar trees that were severely leaning or dead. This approach prioritizes public safety while maintaining the city’s urban forest and reflects the importance of using technical criteria to guide decisions involving both residents and green infrastructure.
By combining environmental restoration with evidence-based management, Toluca is seeking to ensure that its urban vegetation contributes to resilience while remaining compatible with public safety and the city’s infrastructure needs.
Environmental restoration is complemented by efforts to recover and improve public spaces as places for recreation, social interaction, and community development.
One of the municipality’s key projects is the México Imparable Toluca Community Center, which will transform the Filberto Navas Sports Complex into a space dedicated to sports, health, culture, and recreation. The rehabilitation is expected to create new opportunities for children, young people, and adults while strengthening social connections through safe and accessible community spaces.
In addition, the municipality announced the launch of 25 strategic projects focused on improving road and educational infrastructure and recovering public spaces across different areas of the city. These interventions seek to respond to community needs through investments aimed at improving collective well-being and urban conditions.
Toluca’s resilience strategy also includes infrastructure projects focused on everyday safety and mobility. Among them is the development of safe pathways for students, women, and people traveling between their communities and places of education or employment. These interventions incorporate improvements to lighting and road infrastructure to create more accessible and secure environments.
At the same time, the municipality maintains ongoing response measures to address the impacts of weather-related events on urban infrastructure. The work of Civil Protection, Firefighters, and the Municipal Police to remove fallen trees and restore traffic along affected roads demonstrates the importance of maintaining local response capacity.
These efforts help preserve the functionality of the city during disruptive events while reducing risks for residents and strengthening municipal preparedness.
Toluca’s experience demonstrates that strengthening urban resilience requires an integrated approach that connects environmental restoration, technical management of green infrastructure, public space recovery, and investment in community infrastructure.
By combining reforestation, responsible urban tree management, the rehabilitation of shared spaces, and infrastructure designed to improve safety and mobility, the municipality is addressing environmental and urban challenges through coordinated action.
For local governments facing the impacts of urban growth and climate change, the experience of this ICLEI Member illustrates how nature-based solutions, public infrastructure, technical planning, and community participation can work together to create cities that are more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable for current and future generations.
