My friend, the tree
A veritable green paradise
The Castello del Sole’s impressive park grounds are the largest in Switzerland covering an area the size of 15 football pitches. Some 362 different tree and shrub species thrive here, including some real natural treasures. Several of the trees are over 100 years old. Tree whisperer Antonio a Marca tends to these green giants and knows their secrets.
The pride of the park
a colossal 150-year-old English oak
Its massive branches extend far over the ground. This imposing tree is a symbol of steadfastness and strength, traits that have been associated with this species since ancient times. Not far from the shoreline, a common alder towers to a tremendous height of 33 metres, dwarfing the trees around it. Even some exotic species can be found here, like the rare Kashmir cypress, native to the higher altitudes of the Himalaya. Surprisingly, it flourishes here in the park of the Castello del Sole at just 200 metres above sea level — a botanical wonder.
“Trees speak to us. We just have to learn how to understand them”
Antonio a Marca knows every single tree “personally”, from crown to root. The forest ranger and arborist from Mesocco has been looking after them for years.
Sometimes all it takes is a glance at the crown to know how a tree is faring. Heavy branches, cracked bark, or a thinning crown are all warning signs that Antonio a Marca spots right away. He especially keeps an eye out for any evidence of wood fungi that often infect sick trees as a result of damaged roots.
The arboriculturist's work
Together with his team, the 64-year-old checks the stability of the trees every year. By strategically trimming back the crown, they make sure that the weight of the tree is evenly distributed to prevent any dangers in high winds. They also use computers and soundwaves:
«With the help of modern technology, we can look under the bark and detect any rot or infestation in good time.»
This is what happened in 2022, when the team had to fell about 20 trees. «That kind of intervention in nature is always a very difficult decision, after all the trees are living organisms. But our guests’ safety takes top priority. In addition, we replaced each tree we cut down with a new one, so the park has lost none of its beauty.»
“I spent my entire childhood in the trees”
Born and raised near the forests of Mesocco in the Grisons region, Antonio a Marca used to accompany his grandfather on hikes in the Alps, surrounded by nothing but the natural world.
«I still sometimes retreat to the treetops to better understand the essence of their nature. It's a unique feeling that I cannot put into words.»
- Antonio a Marca worked for many years as a forest ranger in the mountain forests of his home, until he founded Ticino’s first tree care company in the 1990s after gaining further qualifications as an arborist. Now he draws up reports and evaluations of city parks and privately owned green spaces like the park at the Castello del Sole.
- Over time, nature has changed perceptibly, he says. “Especially in the mountains, these changes are visible wherever you look. Spruce trees, for instance, suffer tremendously from the bark beetle. But the hotel park is doing well. As long as Lake Maggiore doesn’t dry up, the tree population there is not endangered.”
The guardian of the trees at the Castello del Sole takes a pragmatic view of the climate crisis: “Nature may need 500 years to recover, but it will still be here long after we are gone. And that’s a good thing.”
For Antonio a Marca, trees are more than just plants. They are living monuments that must be protected and cared for so that future generations can climb their trunks or walk in their shade.
Anina Rether