Q.deer have damaged the bark on my one year old cherry tree
what can I do to protect the tree from the missing bark/skin
Covering tree wounds with latex paint or a tar compound is no longer recommended in most cases. Paper and plastic tree trunk wraps are available at most hardware stores and may prevent deer, rabbits and rodents from chewing the bark in winter. They also help prevent the trunk from splitting due to direct sunlight causing freeze and thaw cycles on the south side. Remove in spring. Try stapling some hardware cloth to stakes to keep the deer away. There are taller, ready-to-use tree protectors available on the web. They are often used in state and national parks where antler-rubbing, browsing animals are a problem. Here is more information: https://web.extension.illinois.edu/state/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=11716
