So now that Wood trees are presumably harder to chop down, it should deter those who seek to clear them on purpose, but after planting a couple of beans tonight, I noticed that when first growing from sapling to tree, the option to Harvest & Clear is actionable. My suggestion to anyone that will be planting wood trees in public areas is to bring along a jar of Fertilidust and grow the tree to full size before wandering off. This should make it considerably more difficult to clear the tree without the use of poison.