The La Cruz Project has developed an approach that has never been used before. The focus is on helping the ejidatarios reforest their lands and to develop income and to reduce the pressure the oyamel forests that the monarchs need for their overwintering sojourn. In four years, there will be income from the sale of pines and oyamels that are planted for Christmas trees. Subsistence wood for firewood and charcoal will be available in five to ten years. After ten years, thinning of the trees will provide lumber for poles and fence posts. In seventeen to twenty years, the reforested areas will be logged. During this time period, more ejido lands will be planted and new forests will be created. The ejidatarios who have committed themselves to reforestation will be receiving the benefits of a continuing source of income from their new forests. They also will not have to walk long distances into the monarch sanctuaries each day to get their firewood.

Another goal of the La Cruz Project is to keep that portion of the trees' value that is being lost to commercial lumber operations As the ejidatarios see the value of growing and using their own forests, it is expected that they will realize that they have the skills needed to build their own lumber mills and, eventually, their own wood product industries. The full value of the trees, and more, will be kept in the communities. There is an ejido near Santa Clara del Cobre, Tzintzun, that has done exactly that. Jose Luis Alvarez has been working with this ejido for a number of years and has been providing them seedlings from his nursery, Vivero La Cruz.

In 1997, the La Cruz Project and the ejidatarios made a start. Over 7000 oyamel and pine seedlings were planted by the La Cruz Project and the ejidatarios at the community or ejido of El Rosario. Five land owners came forward and were willing to accept the risk of not using their land for crops and grazing. They decided to plant the 7,000 oyamel and pine seedlings on 3.5 hectares or over 7 acres that they owned. When you are poor and you don't know whether you are going to have any food from day to day, this is a bold decision. The trees were made possible as a result of the initial contributions made by individuals in the United States. It was a small start, a very small start, but it was significant. For the first time the people who have been using a critical habitat and threatening its continued existence have been given an alternative. The ejidatarios had to make a very tough decision. They decided to take a portion of their individual ownership and stop growing corn and oats and grazing their cows and sheep. This is not an easy decision after trying to survive for generations.

Something very important happened in 1998. Twenty ejidatarios came forward and wanted to plant the 40,000 seedlings that the La Cruz Project had been able to propagate starting in September of 1996. If there had been more trees, they would have been planted. The goal for 1999 is to propagate more than 125,000 oyamel fir and pine seedlings to be planted in the overwintering areas during the rainy season next July.