The large clumps of leaves sound very familiar, especially on an oak tree. Look at the end of the branch that has dropped and you will probably notice a clean, diagonal cut. It sounds like squirrels are sharpening their teeth on your tree. They will select a small branch and clip it off. You will find many of the small clumps of leaves on the ground depending on how many squirrels you have on your property. Most of the time, the tree will survive and regrow leaves that the squirrels will clip off again. If the trees are small and having a hard time growing, prevent the squirrels from going into the trees by enclosing the canopy in bird netting. Most trees won't need that extra care if they are healthy.

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