Hi all - this is my first posting here. I signed up to see if I could get some help with a neighbourhood problem I've got right now.

Background: Some arse doesn't like a tree in the centre of a lovely housing complex. It's just one person, and everyone else loves it. He sent threatening letters to the property maintence people a few months back saying it's blocking his view of the river and that it must be cut down. He lives in an attic by himself and is a real off character.

We live in a lovely area which is deemed a conservation area. In our area 3 trees have been damaged. You can draw a straight line from the river through these three damaged locations right to his window. Two trees have been slashed with a saw and a third smaller tree has had a bunch of branches cut off. The two that are slashed are larger silver birches, with the one in the centre of the complex (possibly even planted when the complex was started as a park is built around it) being over 40 feet tall. The slashes are 1-2 inch deep wounds circling the outside of the tree. Looking at it, I'd say it has a 50/50 chance of living (if you want I can take pictures).

As it's a conservation area, the police have been contacted and involved. We gave them the letter, and they saw the obvious line to his window. That matter is entirely in their hands now. What I'm looking for help for is this:

Is there anything that I can put on the tree to help it mend? Next up, if the trees live, what can I put around it in order to protect them? I was considering metal bars / some sort of mesh but would like it to look nice as well.

Thoughts / comments are appreciated.