Protective netting has been added to a tree at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, presumably to stop guests from carving into the bark.
Galaxy’s Edge Tree Wrapped in Netting
One of the trees located on the pathway leading into Batuu from Toy Story Land has been wrapped in some new protective netting. While Disney has not made any official statement, this tree appears to have been wrapped solely for the purpose of keeping guests from carving names or initials into it.
Several carvings and initial engravings have been etched into the bark at the level guests can easily reach from the ground, making them extremely noticeable on the green-gray bark of the tree.
The red color shown in several of the carvings could possibly be due to “red bark phenomenon.” This occurs when algae growing on the tree is allowed to colonize in the scratches and indentions, creating the red discoloration. While the red bark is not known for being particularly harmful for the tree’s health, it makes the carvings more obvious from the guest walkway.
Among the carvings are several hearts with initials inside. Some appear newer than others based on the level of coloration, leading us to believe this has been an ongoing issue for some time. The carvings look to be numerous, with some wrapped around the sides of the tree and beginning to be layered over each other.
Although there are many trees in Galaxy’s Edge, only the one located in the middle of the path seems to be impacted. Other trees in the area remain unchanged, with no carvings or protective netting.
A similar tree just outside Savi’s Workshop and the Droid Depot has a very similar type of bark. Despite the similarity, this tree is not wrapped in any netting, implying the netting is specifically to deter the carvings rather than for another reason related to the tree itself. The one near Savi’s Workshop is slightly elevated off the guest walkway and is placed further back in a garden, which potentially deters any would-be vandals. The carved tree is located near a seating area and is also much closer to the walkway, increasing accessibility for guests trying to touch it.
This is not the first time Disney has had to take action against guests vandalizing property. Just last year during the 2024 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, a detailed photo op debuted at The Muppets Brew-Wing Lab in The Odyssey. However, less than 72 hours after becoming available to the public, the photo op was removed after reports of unsupervised children wrecking the props.
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