Last fall a beaver took off the bark from my Japanese Maple. I wrapped the tree in a wool blanket and put tape around it. Can the tree be saved or is it too late?

Reply to post by Joan V, on May 04, 2002 at 06:47:09:

How much bark did the beaver chew when the beaver did chew bark? Time to take off that blanket and find the answer.
You should see new growth at the edges of the chewed area. If your tree leafed out this spring, there's hope. Increasing root function by improving the soil and mulching can speed growth of that scar tissue.
GENERALLY speaking, if the wound is less that 1/3 of the way around chances are good, 2/3 chances fair. there's no substitute for getting an arborist on site to look at this and your other trees.
If the beaver returns, wire mesh will protect those trunks. Repellents such as Chew-Stop (a mustard-cayenne concoction) also work but less reliably.