I would guess an oak has a wide and stable root system and can tolerate a
lot of messing about. We have a garden with many mature trees and they do
pose a problem.
I tend to regard trees as garden plants that have stringent pruning
requirements.-oak spreads as broad as it is tall, but in traditional
woodland management can be pruned very severely. Trees always look bad
immediately after pruning, but they tend to recover their looks.
We have cut trees quite severely to cover reasonable complaints by
neighbours. Two others, an ash and beech, capable of reaching ginormous
heights we had pruned by a tree surgeon, discusing the shape and pruning
using digital camera images.
I have a large Leylandii used by nesting bluetits and I think a goldcrest,
and it will have to be topped next winter-it's about 60ft high and 40ft
from the house. Being a conifer it will not refurnish.
Regards
David T

wrote in message
ups.com...
thanks all for the reply a few mixed view. i just think enough is
enough and the tree has been cut too many times.