FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Weeks Bay Foundation closed on a 65-acre parcel Dec. 18 that could one day be purchased by the state for inclusion in the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Walter Ernest IV, foundation executive director, said the land includes more than 1,668 feet of frontage on Fish River, at least 3,000 feet of frontage on Waterhole Branch and more on Green Branch. It is 100 percent wetlands, he said.

The purchase price was $262,400, and the foundation plans to hold the acreage until the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources State Lands Division can find the funding to make it part of the reserve.

Ernest said the parcel contains unique flora and fauna that is found in the Weeks Bay watershed. Among them are the marsh grasses needed for marine life to grow, and birds such as the clapper rail and osprey.

“It takes so long to acquire property in the state and federal realm and it helps when a land trust steps in and acquires it,” Ernest said. The foundation recently was accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.

He said the land had been on the foundation’s radar for five years, after it was identified in the Weeks Bay Management Plan. Negotiations to purchase the land from Panama City, Fla. attorney Mitch Dever began in July. Dever had purchased the acreage in August 2006 from B.K. and Ruby Worcester, who had it in their family for most of the last century.

According to Ernest, the land met the criteria for acquisition because it adjoins 122 acres of reserve property (with 5,000 feet of waterfront) previously purchased by the foundation, it was potentially threatened by development, it contains unique features, is in the Weeks Bay watershed and lies within a predetermined acquisition zone.

Protecting wetlands is of vital importance, he said, because Baldwin County gets its drinking water from the ground, and wetlands act as natural filter systems for rainwater and runoff. Ernest noted the creeks running through the pristine acreage also offer recreational opportunities for kayakers and fisherman.

As far as the land’s suitability as a building site, Ernest said, “It would have been hard. (Dever) could have built one homestead on it with a (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) national permit. He decided the highest and best use of the property was conservation.”

Because so much land on the Alabama coast is subdivided, it is often difficult for groups such as the foundation to acquire fairly large parcels. Ernest said, “It’s a small miracle. In the Weeks Bay watershed we’ve got to do it one step at a time.” He pointed out that land along County Road 1 and Scenic 98 is so fragmented that lengthy negotiations between multiple landowners is often necessary.

“It’s harder to acquire and easier to fill,” Ernest said. “Many (lots) are grandfathered in because they were subdivided before the passage of the Clean Water Act.” Because sewage service now covers parts of the two Eastern Shore roadways, no perk tests are necessary and more land is buildable than ever before.

The protection of this newly added parcel and others is a goal of the Weeks Bay Foundation. The organization is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to protect the natural resources of coastal Alabama and provide assistance and support for the reserve’s goals and programs. The foundation can accept property donations in the form of a conservation easement, fee simple donation, bargain sale purchase or through estate planning.

Ernest said the recent accreditation “gives us credibility to the community and our donors. We live by the practices of the land trust alliance. If you were a donor, it would give you a sense of security. We’ve been recognized by national standards.”

The Weeks Bay Foundation currently has about 500 paid members, and many followers and fans on Twitter and Facebook.

“We are a nonprofit, and couldn’t purchase property without the support of our donors and members,” Ernest said.

For more information about the Weeks Bay Foundation, and how to donate land, visit www.weeksbay.org, e-mail walter@weeksbay.org or call the office (251) 990-5004.