Scared to chop up trees (6)
I believe the answer is:
cedars
'trees' is the definition.
(cedar is a kind of tree)
'scared to chop up' is the wordplay.
'to chop up' indicates an anagram (letters chopped or smashed up).
'scared' with letters rearranged gives 'CEDARS'.
(Other definitions for cedars that I've seen before include "(Lebanese?) trees" , "Sacred (anag) -- trees" , "Fragrant trees of the Lebanon" , "Tress of Lebanon" , "Trees with perfumed wood" .)