Question
We built a tree house for our kids in the backyard.  The tree is a post oak.  One of the neighborhood kids decided to pick some of the bark off the tree.  There are two areas about 12 to 18 inches across.  Will it kill the tree and is there anything we should do??  I have found conflicting answers on the internet!

Answer
Unless the bark has been removed down to the wood all the way around the tree trunk the tree will not die.  The wound will heal over time. Do not out any wound dressing on it this will slow the healing process. If there are pieces of bark hanging on the wound these can be cut off. You may get some decay fungi in the wound but the decay fungi will not kill a tree--the worst scenario will be the tree will be come hollow but this will take many many years. The wounds from the nails etc. building the house would do the same thing. I would not worry about the bark being removed--use it as a lesson for the kid. Tree hurt too!!!

http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/publications/information_bulletins/pdfs/n