FARMINGTON – As part of an ongoing effort to preserve the wilderness areas of the Weld region, the Tumbledown Conservation Alliance will hold a benefit auction at 7 p.m. Friday, May 9, at the Granary. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for viewing and refreshments.

The auction will include goods and services donated by local businesses and artisans. Items for bid will range from original artwork, paintings, baskets, pottery, jewelry, photos, furniture and home furnishings to gift certificates from restaurants and grocers. Services available include bicycle repair, technical support, automotive repair, pet care, massage, music, photography and goods for gardening and home repair.

Additional donations are welcome, said organizers said, those interested in supporting the Alliance should call 778-6760.

The Tumbledown Conservation Alliance is a locally-based, nonprofit organization which has been working to protect Tumbledown Mountain, Mount Blue and surrounding lands in the Weld region. In partnership with the Trust for Public Lands and the Maine Department of Conservation, the organization’s says its goal is to maintain access to land for traditional recreational uses, such as hunting, hiking, skiing, fishing, snowmobiling, without forfeiting the local timber economy, and to protect wildlife habitat and the Webb Lake watershed.

In the past few years, about 3,000 acres have been added to Mount Blue State Park. Maine’s system of public lands has been increased by 4,600 acres, including the peaks of Tumbledown and Little Jackson Mountains and Tumbledown Pond. Conservation easements have been finalized on 7,800 acres, with another 4,200 acres pending. Negotiations continue with local landowners for other parcels, including the trails and trailheads of Tumbledown.