Ikea:

Your arborist is probably right. And one thing that impresses me is that by telling you what he told you, he is essentially turning down work at a time when I would think all things being equal, he would be happy to do what you suggest if he could find any good ethical reason to do it.

The most important question I would ask you is why do you say that the branches are too close to the house? Apparently the arborist didn't see a problem.

As for the new growth at the ends of the trimmed off branches--yes, he is right. Normally horizontal branches in the lower part of a tall tree's crown are not especially prone to breakage--there is usually no weak crotch at the point where the limb joins the trunk, and foliage does not usually grow so that it is too heavy for the branch to support. But if you were to cut off the ends of the branches, the new growth would be accelerated, and it would come at the ends of the branches where the cut was made. Those cut ends will be susceptible to wood rotting fungi, and as the rot progresses, the point where the new growth starts will be weakened, and the new growth can break off much more easily than any part of the original branch, at least as long as it is alive. If any of these branches that you are worried about should die, you should have them removed ASAP.

"Keeping an eye" on the progress of the new growth is an option, but it may be difficult, from the ground, to see clearly when some weak point may develop. Unless I was sure that these branches couldn't be left, as the arborist suggests, I think it would be better to take his advice and do nothing.

--Spruce