With help from a $256,750 state-funded open space grant, the Groton Open Space Association expects to soon make its third and largest land acquisition in town.

The money was awarded to the nonprofit land preservation group in December towards the purchase of 91 acres known as Candlewood Ridge, off Lambtown Road and Route 184.

GOSA President Joan Smith said the property is a watershed area that drains into Haley Brook and connects some large expanses of undeveloped land in both Groton and Ledyard, owned by the Weber and Lamb families.

"There are beautiful woods, peat bogs, even views of Long Island Sound in the winter," Smith said. "It's a wonderful piece of land."

Smith met up with other GOSA members on the site before the New Year to take in the views following the area's first significant snowfall. She was met there by my Maggie Jones, executive director of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center. The nature center was awarded $500,000 by the state towards $2.8 million needed to purchase of a 34-acre section of the Coogan Farm in Mystic. The two congratulated one another.

Funding to the two organizations was part of the $9 million in Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition grants Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced in support of 35 communities for the purchase of 2,732 acres to be preserved as open space.

GOSA has had its eye on the Candlewood Ridge property for several years and has a sales agreement in place with owner John Crandall, doing business as Lambtown Development LLC. The purchase price is $395,000.

"We have a good relationship with (Crandall). He's a willing and eager seller and doing everything he can to make the sale happen," Smith said.

GOSA planned to meet federal officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on site this month for consultation and advice on a restoration plan for the 10 acres that was clear-cut by Crandall to make way for a mulch business later shut down by the town.

Smith said GOSA is awaiting the "all clear" signal from Crandall, who recently won approval from the Zoning Commission to fill, remove and regrade a portion of the disturbed land. Wetlands remediation has already been completed. Smith said she expects to have a clean deed when the purchase is made.

Smith said the property is rich with wildlife and includes 168 species of birds such as the endangered pied-billed grebe and threatened great and snowy egrets. Part of the aim of the restoration plan will pay special attention to the habitat of the New England cottontail, a disappearing species with colonies on neighboring properties.

Elsewhere on the property is upland forest, moss-covered wetland forests, several streams and rock outcroppings. Candlewood Ridge has 15 acres of peat forest and 15 acres of open peat bog. The property has existing trails that will be expanded and cleaned up once the land is purchased, Smith said.

There are entrances to the properties from both Larchmont Terrace and Lambtown Road.

Smith said the group has been raising funds towards the purchase, something easier to do now that the grant money is in place.

GOSA has an exemplary record when it comes to land preservation and was awarded the Connecticut Land Conservation Council's Outstanding Land Acquisition Effort last year for the purchase of the 63-acre Sheep Farm, off Hazelnut Hill Road.

By some accounts, the purchase saved the property from possible development into a subdivision. The farm dates back to the 1700s and includes remnants of an 18th-century gristmill stone foundation and trails that follow an old colonial road.

GOSA's first purchase came in 2008 when it acquired a 75-acre wooded tract for $1 million, now known as the Merritt Family Forest. The same state program that is helping with the Candlewood Ridge purchase contributed $650,000 towards that purchase. A developer had sought a 48-house residential subdivision for that site.

GOSA traces its roots to the late 1960s as the Save the Haley Farm Committee, under leadership of GOSA's first president Sidney Van Zandt, which helped to raise money towards its purchase by the state. A similar committee helped to push for the creation of the Bluff Point Coastal Reserve.

For more information visit the Groton Open Space Association website at www.gosaonline.org.

G.SMITH@THEDAY.COM