Sure can't see any significant damage on the above photo. If nothing more than that on the others, I doubt I would worry much......could very well be squirrels.

Remove the paper and tape - that can cause more issues than squirrels if left in place! If worried about further damage, you can gently wrap/squeeze some chicken wire or wire screening around the affected portions but I doubt that is really necessary. Bark damage is not critical unless the bark is completely removed all around the entire circumference of the trunk or branches.

Here's the photo I was looking for. I was at work & typing on my phone. I didn't know that I had this photo. This is what I'm concerned about.

It looks like either someone smacked it somehow, or a squirrel stripped it. Is that a small sliver of it on the ground at 4 o'clock from the trunk? In either case, as Gardengal mentioned, it is not bad unless they come back for more. That looks quite fresh, so the may indeed be back.

tj

Is there anything you can recommend to sprinkle around to deter them? I had a problem last year with rabbits, and sprinkled some kind of powder made to deter them, and had no luck.

I think it's time to invest in an air rifle, although I don't like the idea of killing anything.

And before someone recommends cats, don't. Some people hate spiders and some snakes. I have a phobia of cats. :)

Now that we've seen this damage, do the chicken wire around the trunk mentioned above. Not sure where you are, but around here just about Father's Day, perhaps even earlier, the squirrels leave young trees and shrubs alone...until winter.

tj