The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust informed Westport Island officials of its intention to purchase a 144-acre property within an area known as the Squam Creek Preserve in a project valued at $510,000.

Speaking at the Monday, March 14 selectmen’s meeting, Dennis Dunbar, president of the land trust, explained that the organization had reached an agreement with the Segerstrom Realty Trust concerning the price and the time frame to complete the transaction. The property has been owned by the Segerstrom family since the 1950s.

“It’s a property that’s worth protecting,” Dunbar told the selectmen about the site which has 3,300 feet of frontage on Squam Creek. “It is the largest deer wintering area on Westport.” The preserve area includes significant wetlands and is home to two commercial oyster farms.

Financing for the purchase relies on the cooperation of the seller, the land trust, the government and other contributors. The property owners agreed to reduce the price to $440,000 to facilitate a purchase by the land trust. The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust has received more than $100,000 in gifts for the purchase and federal grant funding of $150,000.

“We will need to raise $150,000 locally,” Dunbar told the selectmen. “We’ll start with a local fundraising campaign.” Dunbar expects to complete the campaign by Dec. 31.

A flyer the land trust produced describes the property as “one of the largest undeveloped coastal parcels remaining on the island.”  The flyer explains that the wetlands provide a habitat for waterfowl and wading birds in addition to deer and shellfish. The estuary also provides an environment for Atlantic salmon and sturgeon.

Information about contributing to the fundraising effort may be obtained by calling the land trust office in Bath at 442-8400.

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In other matters before the selectmen at Monday’s meeting, Brett Jones invited any island resident who is interested in representing the town as a delegate to the state republican convention to meet at the town office at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 22. Those with questions may contact Jones at 882-5939.