Nancy Campbell and her dog, Luci, were left stumped as to why they can no longer walk amongst the mature redwood and alder trees behind her Lodi condo.
"We've had all these beautiful trees along here. Now we have no shade. We have no privacy," said Campbell.
For months, homeowners living at the Mokelumne Village condominiums have been asking Union Pacific Railroad to take out overgrown weeds and debris left by the homeless.
But not only did the railroad clear out what residents wanted, but also what they didn't want: 29 trees behind their homes.
"It's a shame that they took them out. Most of the trees were healthy. Some of them weren't and they were going to take them out anyway," said Campbell.
All that remains is a single Eucalyptus tree that Campbell said has an active bird nest.
In a statement, Union Pacific says:
"As part of our vegetation abatement operations, to reduce potential fire hazards, prevent potential transient encampments and increase safety along the railroad, we cleared vegetation along the railroad right-of-way in Lodi, California. Additionally, this work was done in an effort to address city and community complaints about the vegetation."
Nancy Campbell said that she had hoped Union Pacific would be a "good neighbor" and keep the trees.