

We’re rebuilding an ancient forest on an active volcano
On Mexico’s highest active volcano, Pico de Orizaba, lives a magical forest ecosystem called a “Sky Island”. Just like islands are surrounded by water, this cold peak is surrounded by a sea of hot air. It’s a place like nowhere else on Earth and has knock-on effects for millions of people down in the valley. The volcanic soil is like a sponge and when it rains, the water sinks into the forest. This turns the mountain into a water tank that releases water over time to feed the rivers. But more than 80% of this forest has already been lost, much of it to logging. Without trees, the mountain can no longer hold onto water in the same way. This increases the risk of flash floods during the wet season and water shortages in the dry season.
The mission
We partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation and their local partner ReforestAcción to help rebuild this forest. The local communities are at the heart of the mission since they know the forest the best and can help protect it as it grows back. But high altitude reforestation comes with a unique challenge: only a few tree species can survive in these extreme conditions. One of them is Hartweg’s Pine, also known as the “warrior tree.” Using its thick bark, resin and special antifreeze compounds inside its cells, this tree species can withstand extreme climate conditions and thrive on peaks up to 4,500 meters. It’s so resilient, scientists even studied it to find out if we could put trees on Mars.



The trees spend the first year of their lives in the nursery, developing a strong root system before actually growing taller. After that, they’re ready to be planted on the volcano, and that's where our support comes in. Together with Ecosia, the Planet Wild community is funding the restoration of 49 hectares of high-altitude forest along the volcano's slopes. We’re also funding three years of ecosystem monitoring to track the restoration. By combining this long-term support with the knowledge and work of local communities, we’re helping rebuild a forest that can survive here for generations.
What we achieved
Ideal outcome
Our Partner
Mariana Enriqueta Guzmán de la Peza, or Queta, is a trained agricultural engineer who leads the restoration work on Pico de Orizaba. She started at ReforestAcción, the Arbor Day Foundation’s local partner, as an intern, where she discovered that ecosystem restoration gave her a connection to nature that conventional agriculture never had. Queta is also a single mother, raising her child while leading fieldwork across some of the toughest terrain in the park.
Our Partner

Mariana Enriqueta Guzmán de la Peza, or Queta, is a trained agricultural engineer who leads the restoration work on Pico de Orizaba. She started at ReforestAcción, the Arbor Day Foundation’s local partner, as an intern, where she discovered that ecosystem restoration gave her a connection to nature that conventional agriculture never had. Queta is also a single mother, raising her child while leading fieldwork across some of the toughest terrain in the park.

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