A new project is underway in Mastic Beach, an area that is prone to flooding and was hit hard by Superstorm Sandy.

Town of Brookhaven Councilman Dan Panico says the restoration project is exciting. He says it includes getting native plantings and making the shoreline more resilient.

What was once a marshland with small homes and bungalows all got destroyed by the storm surge during Sandy. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed.

The project includes building docks, demolishing a road that was wiped out and taking down homes along the shoreline.

The Town of Brookhaven spent several years removing the abandoned homes. Now the town is embarking on a new effort to restore 147 acres of waterfront to its natural habitat - marshlands that will be able to absorb the brunt of future fierce storms.

"It will turn it back into a natural flood plain and that will reduce flooding to local residents and improve their quality of life," says Dr. Alan Duckworth, a Brookhaven Environmental Scientist.

The town plans to hold a public meeting at the Mastic Beach firehouse on May 3 at 7 p.m.