Eva’s Garden will be permanently protected as a working farm and forest, expanding more than 1,000 acres of protected land in the Allen’s Pond area of Dartmouth, the Buzzards Bay Coalition announced Friday.

The Coalition, in collaboration with the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, recently finalized purchase of a conservation restriction on the three-acre farm on Jordan Road and the 20 acres of mature woodlands that surround it, completing an effort to preserve key properties among the town’s scenic and productive farmlands, diverse wildlife, clean waterways and salt marshes. 

The project also included the 2019 acquisition and protection of the 128-acre Apponagansett Bay Farm property. 

So far, the initiative raised a total of $3.8 million in gifts and grants, including $1 million in charitable contributions from 180 individuals and families in Dartmouth.

“These two properties represent the best of what’s worth preserving in Dartmouth: productive farmland, scenic vistas, and diverse coastal ecosystems,” Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust Executive Director Dexter Mead said.

Support for protecting the Sommaripa property came from private gifts, the Town of Dartmouth’s Agricultural Preservation Trust Fund, and a major grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The release stated that the importance of preserving Eva’s Garden reflects not only the ecological and agricultural value of the land, but also the farm’s status as a certified-organic grower of specialty herbs, greens, beautiful flowers and delectable vegetables used by chefs all over New England. 

For Sommaripa, the conservation protection for her property ensures that the area she loves will retain its natural beauty. 

“I came down here with friends when I was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, and I fell in love with the landscape of the Allen’s Pond area,” Sommaripa said. “We bought the property because we loved it down here.”