A project to preserve more than 120 acres of land in South Dartmouth is moving forward with Select Board approval of a conservation restriction on the land. 

At the August 5 Select Board meeting, members approved a conservation restriction for land targeted for preservation under the Dike Creek preservation project. 

Town Meeting members approved the project at the Spring Town Meeting. It is being spearheaded as a partnership between the town Conservation Commission, Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, and the Buzzards Bay Coalition. 

The property is being split into three pieces. DNRT will take over 73 acres which borders the creek, and will open it to the public as a reserve featuring parking and public trails. 

Two other parcels will be sold off to private parties. One is a 21-acre estate lot with a historic farm house located on it, while the other is a 31-acre vineyard containing 18 acres of prime agricultural land. 

DNRT is still seeking buyers for the farm land. The organization initially set a July 16 bid deadline, but it was extended for the farm parcel to August 9.

All three parcels will be protected from further development forever with the conservation restriction, and the goal is to ensure the farm continues to be a working farm by selling it to a farmer intent on continuing to use the land. 

The conservation restriction itself still needs approval from the Conservation Commission. It is on the board’s next meeting for final approval.