[cem-bsee]

at the 4ft+ level, try 'hardware cloth' with 0.125inch openings --

for the gutters: try the 5ft plastic covers with longitidutional ribs --
made in Canada
was sold by HomeDepot, ~ $1/ft
-- I have had some installed since 2000 = 100ft+
-- but I don't have many pine needles,
-- just once, the oak seedlings clogged one 26ft gutter
-- retofit metal 4" gutters
-- my gutters are plastic, made by same company
-- -- I had to fasten joint clamps with sheet metal screws of gutter above back deck -- BUT, because there is where I lean my ladder for going on roof.