Para ver este sitio en español, haga clic en la opción de idioma en la barra de menú. ¡Gracias!
PLANTING FOR CHANGE
al level.
Improving regional biodiversity, climate resilience, and the health and security of our rural communities.
From Desertification to Restoration
Tikkun’s Planting for Change project includes biodiverse forestation, watershed repair, large-scale earth works, terracing for erosion control, regenerative agriculture and agroforestry. The project supports the resilience of vulnerable rural populations in San Miguel de Allende suffering from land and water degradation and the impacts of climate change.
In our state of Guanajuato we see the dire results of deforestation dating back to Spanish colonial days when entire forests were cut for smelting silver. Today, most virgin forests are gone and tree loss continues annually.
Deforestation leads to desertification: Increased soil erosion, heat and drought, more weather extremes, food and water insecurity. The world currently loses approximately 10–11 million hectares of forest each year, and up to 40% of Earth's land is already seriously degraded. Approximately 86–90% of global deforestation today is driven by agricultural expansion.
As large-scale agribusiness drains the aquifers and water tables around San Miguel, our rural communities are experiencing land degradation, toxic well water, food insecurity, and loss of livelihoods. Guanajuato has the 3rd highest level of migration to the northern border of all the states in Mexico.
This crisis hits hardest in the farming villages and collective Ejidos that comprise nearly 60% of the population of San Miguel de Allende outside the city center - the places tourists and expats almost never see.
A Hopeful Future is Possible!
Our goal is to help restore ecological and economic sustainability of local farming families and give hope to the communities who depend upon them.
We prioritize community-led assessment of land use so villages can design systems that support their needs, while integrating school programs for long term generational success.
The Planting for Change project works in tandem with our village reservoir restoration program, Agua Para la Vida and our Earth School.
Together, these restoration and education projects can help rural families live and thrive on their own land, while supporting the overall health and future sustainability of San Miguel de Allende.
Our goal: 1 Million Trees and a Native Seed Bank
As of 2026, new Tikkun infrastructure will serve as a sustainable regional center for the harvesting and propagation of native seed species. The one million saplings we are planning to produce will be delivered to our reforestation and watershed restoration projects over the coming decade.
Our three new greenhouses, completed in Spring, 2026, have a total capacity for propagating up to 50,000-75,000 native trees and shrubs per year. Our recently completed a 1.2 million liter pond (our largest yet) now captures rains from the roofs of all our greenhouses.
Our propagation work is guided by our partners at Arboceta Mexicana and Dra. Rosario Terrones, a leading expert in native and endemic species of the state of Guanajuato. We are assisted in propagation by expert arborist Louis Franke with decades of experience in large scale production for his many local viveros.
The Planting for Change project has accumulated over 100,000 native tree and shrub seeds. In our first year we have successfully propagated over 15,000 seeds. In 2026 we plan to plant over 6,000-8,000 trees, cacti and shrubs at the Tikkun Institute, and at our two current reforestation projects: Los Torres and the Cañada Agua Espinosa.
At the same time we are using our own fields to develop a seed bank collection of native, drought resistant criollo maize of blue, black, red, yellow and white varieties, to assist local farmers who lost their seeds during the last drought. Many were given inappropriate seeds by government agencies which were unable to produce a harvest.
Reforestation and Organic Agroforestry at Tikkun
Since 2008 Tikkun has planted over 3000 trees, fruit trees, shrubs and cacti on our 3 hectares, creating a uniquely beautiful oasis and microclimate and providing habitat for birds, insects, and other wildlife.
Today many of our native species are producing seeds and self propagating, including Maguey, Mesquite, Fresno, Paraiso, Acebuche, Palo Dulce, and Mesquites.
Instead of monoculture or chemical agriculture, we practice organic agroforestry. This means planting corridors of diverse trees, Magueys, cacti and perennials between our rows of crops along with rainwater capture canals to recharge our water table and retain moisture in our soils. The result is greater biodiversity on our land and greater resilience in our milpas (traditional fields of corn, beans and squash), even as our neighbors lost their crops during recent extreme drought.
We do not use pesticides or other chemicals, in order to preserve the integrity of ecosystems and support our many bee colonies (both cultivated and wild) that provide us with pollination.
Over the years, school groups and volunteers of all ages have helped us plant trees and crops, and restore and reforest the historic reservoir in our community of San Jose de Gracia.
As we have greened our land our community, we witness the increase in local insect and bird populations, and even the arrival of Monarch butterflies during their migration from the North to the pine forests of Michoacan.
Carbon Sequestration and Photosynthesis: The Power of Trees
How Photosynthesis Supports Carbon Sequestration
During photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the air and, using the energy from sunlight, convert it into sugars that fuel their growth. In the process, oxygen (O₂) is released into the atmosphere as a byproduct. The carbon captured by trees is stored in various parts over time—especially in the wood.
Carbon Sequestration Potential
On average, a mature tree can absorb about 48 pounds (21.77 kg) of carbon per year. Over the course of a tree's lifetime, this can amount to several tons of carbon, depending on the species and environmental conditions.
A forest with a million trees could possibly sequester roughly 1.5 to 3 gigatons of CO₂ over its lifespan.
Scientists estimate that reforesting or afforesting the world's available land could sequester up to 10 gigatons of CO₂ annually, approximately one-quarter of global annual emissions.
A gigaton equals a billion metric tons. So, when you hear international leaders talk about the climate impact caused by 40 gigatons of carbon emissions humans currently create a year, they are talking about 40 billion tons of carbon emissions.
Impact of Planting a Million Trees
On average, a million trees could sequester approximately 48,000 tons (43,500 metric tons) of CO₂ per year in their early to mid-growth stages. This is equivalent to offsetting the carbon emissions produced by about 9,600 cars annually. Over a span of decades, the total amount of carbon sequestered will increase as they continue to accumulate biomass.
If we consider the global context, where deforestation is a major source of CO₂ emissions, the restoration of forests or the planting of trees on a massive scale can play a key role in meeting international climate goals.
