Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The Municipal Institute for Youth Support (IMAJ) last weekend led the Manos a la Tierra ("Hands in the Dirt") reforestation campaign in the Copa del Rey neighborhood of El Pitillal, where children, teens and the population in general showed great willingness to undertake this altruistic work.

The agency's director, Diego Armando Nava Maeda, said the campaign's goal is to improve the city's green areas and environment, create environmental awareness and to give a little bit of what nature has given us back.

He explained that the "Puerto Verde" reforestation program is called "Hands in the Dirt," is an offshoot of the IMAJ "Youth for the Port We Want" program endorsed by Mayor Arturo Peña Davalos.

"We came to rescue a public space in Colonia Copa del Rey, and with the support of the Ecology Division of the Department of Public Services, we reforested the entire perimeter of the soccer field, and bordered it with recycled tires."

It should be noted that earlier, dozens of participants, including cadets from the Regional Police, Transit and Firemen Academy met in front of the flag staff at the Agustin Flores Contreras Municipal Sports Stadium, where urban trucks transported them to Colonia Copa del Rey.

"We applaud the will and energy of Puerto Vallarta's youth. These young people are the present and they have the energy to discover, experience and embark on the great adventure of transforming the world," said Diego Nava.