Experts from Sacred Heart University Tuesday showed off work that's being done to restore the shoreline along the Long Island Sound in Stratford.

There are hundreds of giant concrete structures in the town called "reef balls." The first 64 were installed about two years ago as a pilot project to see if the eroding shoreline could be restored.

Sacred Heart biology professor Jennifer Mattei says the reef balls break the waves coming in, slowing down the flow of water, reducing the damage and leaving dirt behind. That can help build the shoreline back up, as well as the natural habitat.

Experts say the project has been so successful that they just received a grant and installed hundreds more of the reef balls.

If the project's success continues, they hope the structures will be covered by sediment in the next five to 10 years.