The Kennebec Estuary Land Trust this week announced the creation of the Morse Pond Preserve, a 216-acre parcel of land that will connect by trail to Reid State Park in Georgetown.

Funding for the $500,000 project has been raised from the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program, Merrymeeting Bay Trust, The Evergreen Fund and donations from Kennebec Estuary Land Trust members.

The organization still hopes to raise an additional $75,000 for parking, trail work, signs and bog bridges.

“I am proud to join with the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust to celebrate a quarter-century of land conservation across Maine and to mark yet another one of its many successes with the creation of the Morse Pond Preserve,” said U.S. Sen. Angus King, who attended Tuesday’s announcement. “Our state’s vast and beautiful landscape is one of its most important and cherished resources. As KELT well knows, it’s critical that we strive to preserve and enhance these resources for the benefit of our state’s economy and for the enjoyment of generations to come.”

The Morse Pond Preserve will be the ninth managed by the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, a member organization that formed in 1989 and works to conserve land and water resources. It is expected to be open to the public next year.

The Morse Pond area of Georgetown is a largely undeveloped area in coastal Sagadahoc County and is part of larger 1,862-acre natural area that includes inland waterfowl and wading bird habitat, wetlands and upland forests.

Reid State Park, Maine’s first salt-water state park, was created in the late 1940s after local resident Walter Reid donated his land.

Staff Writer Eric Russell can be contacted at 791-6344 or:

erussell@pressherald.com

Twitter: @PPHEricRussell