MASON TOWNSHIP – Residents here are looking to protect their community by keeping a piece of forest from being developed.

The White Mountain National Forest Service is looking to acquire a 664-acre tract at the end of Tyler Road, and township residents have petitioned in support of its efforts.

The land is surrounded on three sides by National Forest land, said district ranger Katherine Stuart. It has changed hands several times and is now owned by Lloyd Poland of Oxford, who buys and sells land in Oxford County.

Poland sold the stumpage rights on the land to Thomas Richards, and the timber has been harvested, Stuart said.

Poland was not able to reveal any details of the potential acquisition, citing a confidentiality clause. However, he said he is looking to do business with the National Forest Service.

Local people are interested in preserving the land, Stuart said, because two trails run through there, it is home to wetlands and it will straighten out the boundaries of the national forest.

“It’s a logical piece to be picked up,” she said.

Serena Williams, a township resident, has worked with the service in the acquisition process. She said she fears the land will come into the hands of a private owner who might log it and develop it.

“It’s a small community,” Williams said. “We all know each other, and we’re wanting to preserve the culture of the community … we would hate to see our recreational area be lost.”

The National Forest Service has eyed the piece for a while, Stuart said. They have slowly been moving toward acquiring it.

Tuesday, they approached county commissioners who agreed to write a letter of support on the issue. They are also looking for support from other elected officials.

Stuart said she hopes to put the acquisition in the budget for the 2008 fiscal year, however service officials still have many steps to take before this becomes final.