Along the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road just past Bluebird Way near the airport there is an extra chill in the air, the cause of which dates back to the ice age.

Once carved into tiny lots and peddled as a promotion for a 19th century tonic, the 100-acre tract known as the Medicine Lots has been placed in permanent conservation thanks to a purchase completed last month by TNC.

The family of the late Edwin Newhall (Bob) Woods has permanently gifted 500 acres of rare and unspoiled oak forest, grassland and frost bottom to The Nature Conservancy, the conservancy announced late Monday.