Hello Vonda,

It appears that something has been chewing on the bark of your maples. Rabbits are a common cause of this, although typically they would do this at the base of the tree and not up where you are seeing the damage. Squirrels or deer could also be culprits. although they would be more likely to engage in this behavior in the late winter, when food is scarce. If you live in a wooded area, it could also be a porcupine eating your bark. Regardless of the active pest, you will want to protect the tree from further chewing to avoid girdling (where the bark is stripped completely in a ring around the trunk). Once this happens, your tree is likely to die, or to sprout from below the girdled point.

To protect the trunks from further damage, consider wrapping them in wire or mesh material. Be sure that the tree guard is not touching the trunk, to avoid further bark damage. The trees will heal around the scars on their own - there is no need to paint anything onto the bare areas along the trunk.

Good luck!

Sarah Bronstein

Master Gardener, 2022