Question
Hi, my wife is dying of cancer,her sister bought her an Acer which was doing well until father in law strimmed the lawn and also about two inches of bark off the tree,all around the diameter.It's about three feet high and has been in our garden about eighteen months, so it's young.

As its sentimental I would like to preserve it.However, by the time I noticed, most of the leaves have withered.
In views of the cicumstances,I haven't a lot of time(my wife has about six months).

Q.Should I forget it and buy a new one?, or can I fix it with stickyback plastic, or other?

Any answer however brutal would be appreciated.

Cheers,    David.

Answer
If the trunk was completely griddle down to the green cambium layer then the tree has a very slight chance to survive. Check the tree and see if it is dead before you give up on it. Start near the end of an upper outer branch and scrape a small bit of bark off the twig. If the color under the bark is green the branch is still alive at this point on the branch. If the color is brown then the branch is dead--if brown continue down the branch scraping at intervals until you find green or reach the trunk. If no green is found you can try other branches but if all that is found is brown the tree is dead. Hardwoods will re-sprout from the roots so you have a choice of continue watering the tree as if it had foliage and wait until next spring and see if it will sprout new growth from the roots or replace it this Fall with a new tree. Sorry it does not seem too good for the tree.
I am also sorry to hear about your wife and will pray for you both during this time.