NORWAY – The Western Foothills Land Trust intends to purchase a 141-acre wetlands known as Witt Swamp on Lake Pennesseewassee in Norway.

The cedar swamp, on the south end of the lake, has large hemlock trees that date back to the days when Benjamin Witt came to Maine in 1789 with his uncle, Henry Rust. The area is a favorite of kayakers, botanists and birders in the area.

The land trust has raised $36,000 so far toward its goal of $75,000. Of that total, $55,000 is needed to buy the land from owners Thomas and Scott Dillon, with another $20,000 for stewardship, payment in lieu of taxes to the town of Norway, brochures, maps and signs, said land trust spokesperson Lee Dassler.

The $36,000 raised so far includes a $10,000 grant from the Davis Conservation Foundation. Dassler said the trust signed a purchase-and-sale agreement with the Dillons, timber liquidators from Anson, on March 11 and launched its Save Witt Swamp campaign at its annual spring birding event in mid-May.

The balance of the payment is due July 31.

The trust intends to preserve the extensive first-growth cedar swamp, to protect wading bird habitat, to preserve carnivorous plant habitat, and to preserve a natural shoreland view from Lake Pennesseewassee, Crockett Ridge Road and Pleasant Street in Norway.

“In the future our goals may include exploring the educational potential of the resource via tours, talks and paddles,” Dassler said.

Dassler said the land trust tried to negotiate a conservation easement with Scott Dillon soon after he bought the land, but “Dillon was not interested in an easement, and was asking $75,000 for the land.”

This March, Dillon listed the property for $55,000 with an area realtor.

“As properties near the lakes were selling quickly, we agreed to a purchase and sale at $55,000, closing on July 31,” Dassler said.

The Western Foothills Land Trust currently holds conservation easements on nearly 400 acres of land in the Oxford Hills. They have been working with two landowners through the winter in Sumner and Hebron, and by August will hold easements on 800 additional acres of land.

For additional information, call campaign manager Russ Florenz at 743-9019.