LEWISTON — The National Park Service recently closed on a $2.4 million deal to conserve nealry 4,800 acres in northern New Hampshire as part of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.

Forest Legacy Program funds were used to purchase the land from father and son landowners Thomas and Scott Dillon of Anson, Maine.

The purchase includes land in the Mahoosuc Mountain range east of Berlin, N.H. The Mahoosuc Range straddles the Maine/New Hampshire border. The Lewiston Sun Journal reports the deal will protect eight miles of the trail.

The land will be managed by the U. S. Forest Service White Mountain National Forest for public access and pedestrian recreation, including hunting and fishing, wildlife habitat conservation and trail protection.