You may be right about the footprints. Zoomed in, it looks more like footprints than mushrooms or lichens.
I see a very distinct line at the end of that diseased branch, especially if you enlarge the picture. It looks like branch doesn't fit properly onto the tree, so I'm thinking cutting it off is exactly what we'll have to do. Also, zoomed in, I don't think the end of it is in the moat, but above it.
Looking forward to figuring these out. I wonder how many puzzles I'll be able to manage before I cave and come to the forum for tips
