Fifteen acres of wooded waterfront land in Touisset will be saved forever, through a cooperative effort between the town and the state Department of Environmental Management.

The land runs from Maple Road south to the Touisset shore and is bounded on the west by Blackthorne Lane. Maple Lane resident John Barker purchased the property last May for $395,000. In turn, it is being purchased from him through a $200,000 DEM grant, which requires a match from the town. The town’s portion of the money comes from open space funds approved by voters.

“The acquisition of this property offers a unique opportunity to provide public access to the shoreline on the Touisset peninsula,” said DEM’s Gail Mastrati in a release. “Conserving this property will also serve to protect important and threatened coastal habitat and will provide projection against storm surges and coastal flooding.”

The state money comes out of a $3.75 million allotment of grants geared for open space preservation statewide.