The Chapala municipal government has launched a first-aid initiative to save two of the area’s most iconic trees: the towering ficus at Ajijic’s Seis Esquinas intersection and the emblematic Zalate de Felisa located on the Chapala malecón, just outside the Beer Garden restaurant.

The evergreen landmark at Seis Esquinas has been featured in hundreds of landscape paintings of the picturesque neighborhood. It casts shade over a small plaza where neighbors gather and shelters a shrine at its base dedicated to La Virgen de Guadalupe, the barrio’s spiritual patroness.

The ficus has undergone multiple radical prunings and chemical treatments over more than a decade in an ongoing battle against fungal rot and insect infestations that threaten its survival. Since past efforts have not resulted in full recovery, City Hall has contracted a fumigation specialist to try again.

A new treatment regimen—developed with input from biologists at the University of Guadalajara—was launched late last week. It includes injecting the tree’s root system with fungicides, insecticides, systemic antibiotics and organic nutrients, as well as spraying the foliage with medicinal compounds. The rescue work also involves rebuilding the containment structure around the base of the tree to give the roots more space to thrive.

Although the city’s press office did not specify the threats facing the Zalate de Felisa, it implied that similar treatments will be applied to restore the health of that historic tree. Once known as the site of a beloved ice cream stand run by a local woman named Felisa, the tree now serves as a backdrop for outdoor cultural events and various public services.