The Bermuda National Trust has purchased nearly six acres of woodland in Southampton for use as a nature reserve.

The land is to be known as Lighthouse Hill Nature Reserve and preserved forever as open space, said Trust president Bill Holmes.

The charity purchased the land for an undisclosed amount after raising funds last year.

"The preservation of open space throughout Bermuda is an integral part of the Trust's mission," he said. "The challenges of doing so in Bermuda today make this opportunity exceptionally gratifying.

"This new nature reserve will be protected from development absolutely and forever. We are thankful to WhiteCross Development and Mr. Kevin Cross for making this purchase possible through generous terms and for the integrity and perseverance they have demonstrated at every step of our negotiations."

Mr. Holmes continued: "It is our hope that this arrangement may become a model for working together with land developers so that additional land can be acquired at reasonable cost and protected in perpetuity. I cannot imagine a brighter future for a piece of open space than as a nature reserve."

The reserve sits on 5.81 acres of land and is situated below Gibbs Hill Lighthouse bordering South Road and Lighthouse Hill Road.

A Trust spokesperson said the property was surveyed and "found to be of key importance as a woodland habitat due to several features" including the maturity and height of its tree species and the shade provided by the layer of branches and leaves.

The land was purchased through funds raised with the assistance of Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. at a Trust gala, Once in a Blue Moon.

A BNT spokesperson said: "It would be categorically impossible for the Trust to proceed with these worthwhile endeavours without the support of companies like Endurance."