Esteem for scrambling up tree (6)
I believe the answer is:
repute
'esteem' is the definition.
(I know that esteem can be written as repute)
'scrambling up tree' is the wordplay.
'scrambling' indicates an anagram.
'up'+'tree'='uptree'
'uptree' anagrammed gives 'REPUTE'.
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for repute that I've seen before include "State of high regard" , "General impression given" , "Up tree (anag)" , "Celebrity, renown" , "State of high esteem" .)