Mexico City, Mexico — The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) launched a Christmas tree inspection operation. Federal inspectors are checking trees entering Mexico from the U.S. for exotic forest pests.
Profepa says the “Operation for Verification and Inspection of Christmas Tree Imports” is to prevent the entry of exotic forest pests that could affect the country’s ecosystems.
During the operation, which will take place from November 4 to December 5, inspections will be carried out mainly at the border points. Those include Tijuana and Mexicali, Baja California, Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Zaragoza, Chihuahua, Colombia, Nuevo León, San Luis Río Colorado and Nogales, Sonora, Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.
The operation is carried out in compliance with the Official Mexican Standard NOM-013-SEMARNAT-2020, which establishes the phytosanitary measures for the importation of natural trees of the genera Pinus and Abies, as well as the species Pseudotsuga menziesii.
Profepa personnel conduct inspections through visual examinations, targeted sampling and laboratory analysis to detect the possible presence of quarantine pests or diseases in the trees arriving from the U.S.
If any high-risk organisms are found, the specimens will be retained or returned to their country of origin in accordance with the technical reports issued by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat).
The General Directorate of Environmental Verification and Inspection at Ports, Airports and Borders of the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) coordinates the program nationwide.
They work in conjunction with Profepa’s representative offices in Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. The Ministry of Economy also participates, validating the corresponding verification records.
The “Christmas Tree Import Verification and Inspection Program” is a priority as Mexico is one of the centers of greatest diversification of pine species. Therefore, the introduction of an exotic pest (particularly one of quarantine importance) would have serious ecological repercussions on ecosystem health and economic repercussions on the value chains associated with the forestry and agricultural sectors.
In 2024, 567,330 trees imported from the United States were inspected.
With these actions, Profepa strengthens the protection of the country’s forest resources and ensures that imported trees comply with current environmental and phytosanitary standards, thus protecting Mexican biodiversity and the national economy.
For more than twenty years, Profepa has prevented the entry of pathogens that could have significantly affected the country’s forest ecosystems and has significantly improved the quality of forest goods moved in foreign trade, making the sector more competitive.
