Can this Water Oak Be Saved?

smurphyatl

I've got two large 40+ year old Water Oaks in my Atlanta front yard about 50 feet from each other. One is clearly one the way out and I plan to have it removed soon; my question is whether the other, healthier one is worth saving (the healthier one is in the back on the first photo - the one losing bark is the one I'm definitely taking down). I've attached some pictures: (1) of the two trees showing how bad the first one is (2) the nearby driveway that has been pushed (3) of an old, large wound from a long-ago split - I saw termites swarm there this spring but think I've gotten them killed (4) the "suckers" on the trunk and (5) the tree canopy. Both oaks have abundant mistletoe. I built the house 16 years ago and both trees have been pretty healthy up until about 2 years ago. The driveway was there when I built the new house. I suppose just because the second oak is healthier than the first, doesn't mean it's healthy. It's a big, speicimen tree and I need to decide whether to try to save it. Any advice?

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Nawlinean

No. Water oaks are fast growing but short lived. They are prone to natural cavities and if you throw in termites on top then you have a fatal combination. In addition, you should be able to get a better price on the removal of both rather than one by one. The good side is that you could get some nice firewood.
Hope this helps. I am sorry for the loss of your trees but you will be happier knowing that they won’t crash through your roof in a strong blow. Maybe put in a nice Bradford Pear.