About 20 million people annually cross the border between Tijuana and San Diego. Because of its geographic location, dense population and complex social dynamics, it is a metropolitan area full of challenges. This unique site is home to the Tijuana River, a 12,000 km² riparian ecosystem characterized by coastal scrub, shrub and riparian vegetation. For decades the river suffered serious deterioration due to governmental and social indifference, which led to the accumulation of tons of industrial, commercial, and domestic waste.
Since 2012, we have been working to revert the environmental conditions of the Tijuana River through reforestation actions, especially in the section with no channeling. To this end, we collaborate with civil associations, government and the community through the Tijuana Rio Conecta alliance.
Together with the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Coca-Cola bottling company in Tijuana, we all participate in this initiative. The ambitious conservation plan is also supported by the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (SMADS) and the local community itself.
In addition to reforestation work with native plants, which in 2022 reached a total of 1,500 trees planted on a 3-hectare site, we seek to foster the sense of belonging and reconnection of citizens with their environment. Guided towards this goal, we created the Tijuana River Flora and Fauna Guide, which allows users to identify the different species found at the site and learn a little more about them. We are confident that using the guide in environmental workshops, during bird watching or hiking along the interpretive trail will bring enormous benefits to the conservation of this important Baja California site.
Each and every one of our actions points to the Tijuana River as a model to be replicated at other vulnerable sites in our region. In the meantime, wildlife and residents of the border region are already benefiting from the reforestation of the watershed.
In order to appreciate the importance of conserving the Tijuana River, it is vital for users to learn about the species of flora and fauna that inhabit it. Among the plants are the Wild Sunflower (Helianthus annuus), the Red Willow (Salix laevigata), the Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia), and the California Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum). Some characteristic animals are the Coyote (Canis latrans), the Western Peninsular Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus), the California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) and birds such as the Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) and the American Robin (Turdus migratorius).
Download the Tijuana River Flora and Fauna Guide prepared by our designer and collaborator Itsi Razo Saucedo, and support of Mariana Delgado.
