Loreto y Peña Pobre Ecological Park by FRONDA

The Loreto y Peña Pobre Ecological Park is one of the newest protected areas in the Greater Mexico City. Located in the southy, between mountainous and lake terrain, the area was known for its presence of several springs. The site was originally conserved to supply water to the Peña Pobre paper mill between the 18th and 20th centuries.

Since its declaration as an area of environmental value in 2024, the site’s intervention sought to improve its ecological conditions and strengthen the environmental services it provides.

The main objective of the rehabilitation of the Loreto y Peña Pobre Ecological Park is to ensure more efficient water management and increase biodiversity within the park. To achieve this, the following actions were carried out:

• Revegetation: Native species were planted to increase the ecosystem diversity and to reduce water use for their maintenance, including rock gardens, aquatic gardens, and pollinator gardens.
• Habitat creation: By using native species, the attraction of local fauna, including pollinators, is favored. Furthermore, the construction of water bodies attracts species such as aquatic insects and birds from lake environments.
• Soil improvement: Through composting, loosening compaction, and incorporating organic matter.
• Tree management: Trees that require special attention, either due to disease or risk of falling, were treated.
• Water recovery: The park has springs that, until now, had been neglected and their water was discharged into the drainage system. The project includes the creation of waterbodies fed by the spring, improving water capture, regulation, infiltration, and recirculation, while also preventing excess rainfall from being lost to the drainage system.
• Regularization of the use of the spring: Regulate and properly manage the water resource, ensuring its efficient use during both the dry and rainy seasons.

The intervention also took into account the historical value of the site, whose buildings date back to the 19th century. The facades of the buildings were restored, removing invasive elements and painting them in the range of colors typically used at the time. Their terraces were adapted with roofs made of materials that blend with the original architecture. In addition, a reading and contemplation garden was created, connecting visually with the Cuicuilco archaeological site, one of the oldest in Mexico City.

A new pedestrian entry was opened to a secondary street to provide safer and closer access for users from surrounding neighborhoods, and an area was adapted for children to interact with nature and engage in recreational activities with an environmental focus.

Furthermore, the trails through the park were designed to be made of ecological and permeable materials, as well as accessible to the general public. Therefore, ramps and access points were built to ensure access to different types of vehicles. In addition, the parking lot was refurbished and the site’s slopes were stabilized.

• Other credits:

Gobierno de la Ciudad de México – Secretaría del Medio Ambiente

more by FRONDA

Canal Nacional Socio-Environmental Rehabilitation by FRONDA