Three area conservation groups have merged under one umbrella following months of talks.

“After nearly a year of discussion, on Oct. 2 members of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, Windham Land Trust and Presumpscot River Watch voted to merge as one organization with the name Presumpscot Regional Land Trust,” Rachelle Curran Apse, executive director, announced this week.

She said Tuesday the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust would remain headquartered at the historic McLellan/Sampson House, 77 South St. in Gorham, through the end of the year.

Board members of the three groups will hold a joint election of officers at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov.15, at the headquarters.

The merger vote came  during a joint annual meeting in Standish at Randall Orchards, where Presumpscot Regional Land Trust has a 500-acre conservation and agricultural easement.

“The new mission is to support healthy lands, waters, wildlife and people acrosas the Presumpscot River watershed through conservation, water quality monitoring, education and public access,” the merger announcement said.

“This is a wonderful confluence of events and organizations,” Mike Parker, president of Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, said a statement.

Apse will continue as executive secretary along with Toby Jacobs, stewardship and outreach coordinator.

Presumpscot Regional Land Trust was founded in 1986 and has conserved land in Gorham, Gray, Sebago, Standish and Westbrook. Windham Land Trust began in 2000 and has lands in Gorham, Gray and Windham. Priscilla Payne, president ot Windham Land Trust,  is excited about the merger.

“Working together, we will be able to have a greater impact on labd conservation in the area, have more volunteers to be better able to steward all of ouir properties, and to continue to monitor the watewr quality of our stream and rivers,” Payne said.

Volunteers at Presumpscot River Watch, founded in 1989, sample and test water quality at points on the river and its tributaries.  Fred Dillon, president of the river watch, said its citizen scientists provide the Maine Department of Environmental Protection with monitoring results that are utilized to determine compliance with state water quality standards.

“This merger represents an exciting and important evolution in enhancing our mission to protect and preserve the watershed for future generations,” Dillon said.

The new organization is 300 members strong. The unified organization will continue to support the 28-mile Sebago to the Sea Trail project.

Apse said the combined group is hosting a hike at the 100-acre  Black Brook Preserve  at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13, off Route 202 in Windham.

Those who wish to attend the hike or the board meeting next month should visit www.prlt.org to RSVP. Apse can be reached by calling 839-4633.