LEBANON — The city is close to securing the preservation of one of its top ecological conservation priorities — a 55-acre network of wetlands prized for its biodiversity and wildlife habitats, as well as its recreational opportunities.

The Lebanon Conservation Commission is assisting the Upper Valley Land Trust, a nonprofit conservation group, to acquire a 180-acre parcel of privately owned land located off Poverty Lane. On Thursday the Conservation Commission will consider a $500,000 expenditure to fund the Upper Valley Land Trust’s purchase of the property. The Upper Valley Land Trust will own and maintain the property, which will be accessible to the public for hiking and educational activities. 

The commission would pay for the transaction from its open land trust, an account funded by taxes on land that is taken out of current use. The commission’s trust currently holds just over $1.4 million.

Chairwoman Sarah Riley said in an interview that the Commission has frequently partnered with nonprofits like Upper Valley Land Trust to conserve natural areas in the city. While some conservation properties in Lebanon are owned by the Commission, Riley said it is sometimes more practical to transfer the land ownership to an outside group that has volunteers and other resources to oversee the property’s care. 

“This is a very rare opportunity to protect one of the most significant wetlands in Lebanon,” Riley said.

The property borders a city-owned trail and includes a rich array of hardwood forests, vernal pools and meadows, as well as an old logging trail that runs from the western end of Hall Road to Martin Brook wetlands — ranked one of the most “ecologically significant areas” in Lebanon’s natural resource inventory.

“This is the exciting part of my job,” said city Mapping Coordinator Mark Goodwin in an interview. “I started this project five years into my career here, and 15 years later it’s finally coming to fruition.”

Goodwin said the city’s interest in conserving  Martin Brook wetlands began a decade and half ago when assessing the city’s natural resources. This included creating an inventory of “significant ecological areas,” or sites that because of their environmental vulnerability and natural value should be prioritized for conservation or protection from human impacts.

According to the city’s inventory, the Martin Brook wetlands are a pivotal breeding area for riparian wildlife such as mink, otter and beaver, as well as a wintering area for deer or moose.

Goodwin said the overall property provides a natural buffer between the commercial and industrial development in West Lebanon and the residential homes in the area of Poverty Lane.

Importantly, Goodwin said if this property is not conserved, it could be highly valued by private developers. The 180-acre property was previously owned by John Conde, a forester from Northfield, N.H., who died in 2015. The land is currently in a conservation land trust owned by Conde’s family.

   Goodwin said he had reached out to the family eight years ago about acquiring the land, but the family was not ready to make a decision.

Goodwin said the Upper Valley Land Trust, who had spoken to the family about the property, recently approached the city about the opportunity to purchase the land.

The Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing to consider the expenditure at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in City Hall.

Patrick Adrian may be reached at padrian@vnews.com or at 603-727-3216.