Homeowners in Merrick say they had no advance notice of the Long Island Rail Road's plan to cut down hundreds of trees, which created a natural buffer between their backyards and the tracks.

Residents say the trees served to absorb some of the rumblings of passing trains on their homes. They say the trees were also a buffer against weather events.

Homeowners have reached out the MTA to complain about the loss of trees near their property.

An MTA spokesman told News 12 Long Island that "our tree trimming program is an important part of what we do to reduce train delays resulting from downed trees, tree limbs, and slippery leaves on the tracks. We are reaching out to the residents to assure them that we will return to the site to perform a cleanup, and to assess the potential need for erosion mitigation."

Neighbors say they have already been in touch with local lawmakers, hoping to put pressure on the MTA to replant the trees or other shrubbery along the tracks.