I keep accumulating accidental axe strikes on trees around my pathways leading to unsightly fellings that then never grow back! I appreciate that fruit trees at least require the axe to be your active inventory item in order for touch-and-hold to chop, but I really would prefer at least on my farm that the same hold true…perhaps only for fully matured trees, but then it could still be frustrating to try growing new ones. This has been a huge issue for me because I only have a 4.5" screen.
Solution: Don't hold your axe in your hand while walking past trees. Try keeping your scythe equipped instead.
You'd only know if you played mobile, but it automatically selects axe when you tap on wild trees, which side-steps your solution. It's a convenient and seamless idea normally, but with saplings it can become a real minefield when they're ones I want to keep! I would care so much if chopping trees weren't cumulative such that one too many over time will ruin it, especially since you can't always get it to grow back the same given what's grown up around it in the meantime!