The new headquarters for Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust broke ground this week.

On Dec. 1, construction vehicles could be seen moving earth and clearing out debris near the area of Helfand Farm on 318 Chase Road. Back in May, the trust announced that it would be using the 180-year-old farmhouse located on the property for its new location.

The organization has been housed in a historic building, which was formerly a library, on Elm Street in Padanaram for the past 30 years.

Earlier in the year, the trust launched a capital campaign seeking $1.2 million for the renovations and for ongoing land stewardship of the various walking trails and properties scattered throughout Dartmouth.

The building will undergo renovations in the front and substantial additions to the back.

There was a need for a new addition to the existing property due to numerous structural problems inside the farmhouse. The group plans to restore the front of the building to its original form.

At 1,920 square feet, the changes will give the organization needed office space, a meeting room and an outdoor patio to host events. Plans have been drafted for a 24-by-40-foot barn to store equipment necessary for maintaining the group’s 35 miles of nature trails.

Back in June, the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust was granted $176,928 for the Helfand Farm project through Community Preservation funds. There was brief debate at the time regarding the necessity of using town funds to help the organization fund the renovations.

Judith Lund of the Dartmouth Historical Commission countered the dispute during the meeting, saying that the “house tells the story of life in Dartmouth from the time that it was first purchased until the present day.”

Organization members hope that, by moving to central Dartmouth, they will gain better visibility and attract interest in their mission.

Since its inception in 1971, the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust has helped protect 5,011 acres of land, either through helping other organizations or through the 1,600 acres they own.