protected in what sense? as to transplanting depends on how big the specimen is. if it is less than 4ft then more than likely but any bigger then the odds get less and less.
where are you hoping to move it from & to where?

They are expensive if big and pot grown as they do not tend to transplant well after being in the garden after a few years. They can transplant well if you get enough root and that means a mechanical digger.

Thanks I've given it a try, the roots were only down about 18ins to 2ft where it was planted and is approx 5ft tall and had been in situ fot 5+ years (between a concrete shed and path) brother was moving house and asked if I wanted it) hubby dug a bigger hole filled with a mixture of screened topsoil and compost giving a good soaking which I will keep doing and hope it likes its new home free open space with at present only grass for company

Sounds like it will do fine. They do normally have a long tap root that stores water and when that is cut off or damaged it normally means a slow death for the tree.