That is just sick. And so very sad. A tree that has outlived so many generations is like a revered elder. To indiscriminately damage it like that just underscores some of the meanness and idiocy of our times. I hope they can fix the damage and get it to sprout new limbs. I don’t know anything of this tree or this kind of tree. I’m reminded of the Ents in LOTR, some of my favorite characters. So very sad.
As another poster commented, take cuttings and plant them in hidden places.
Shades of the White Tree of Gondor.