Join us on May 31st as we honor the preservation of a Ukrainian family farm right here in New Jersey and in recognition of the behind the scenes work leading up to the opening of the Betty Wold Johnson Hillside Park!

On April 30, 2006, D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center opened its doors in Princeton for the first time, with a warm welcome to the community. The new headquarters for D&R Greenway Land Trust – whose purpose in establishing the Johnson Education Center was to create a home and gathering place to inspire conservation and expand preservation – is surrounded by Greenway Meadows park. These 60 acres were preserved when D&R Greenway worked with the town and local donors to acquire the land from the General Robert Wood Johnson estate in 2001. Over the past two decades, land has been protected and conservation stewardship has grown, along with ideas and friendships spurred by interactions at the Johnson Education Center:

Our 2026 Greenway Gala on Sunday, May 31, 4:00 – 6:00 pm celebrates the impact of 20 years of results generated at the Johnson Education Center, and the impact of these two dedicated individuals – Christopher Tarr, Esq. and William C. Rawlyk and family. It is an outstanding legacy that benefits us all. ❧

Chris Tarr, a land use attorney with Stevens and Lee, walked into a conservation workshop at the Johnson Education Center ten years ago and turned to D&R Greenway President Linda Mead saying, “I am willing and available to help you preserve land.” He wasn’t kidding! Over the past decade, Chris donated his legal skills to represent D&R Greenway on land preservation transactions that resulted in thousands of acres of permanent preservation. In 2021 alone, Chris worked tirelessly with Linda and staff on the dedication of Betty Wold Johnson’s Hillside Farm, donating more than $118,000 in pro bono legal services. Over the past five years, over 500 hours of legal counsel was donated by Chris and his team to enable land transactions. This phenomenal contribution of talent and time comes from Chris’ heart. He believes in the power of land preservation and its value to people and nature. Chris follows the tradition of former awardee and board member Rich Goldman, who donated his legal services pro bono during D&R Greenway’s early years. Land preservation requires legal documentation to make it happen, and we are grateful for the outstanding contribution from these attorneys.

Bill Rawlyk was introduced to D&R Greenway in our early years by founder Jim Amon. He was hired by Linda Mead as D&R Greenway’s Land Preservation Director, serving for over a dozen years before leaving in 2011 to work for the Open Space Institute. Bill loved land and liked people, a winning combination for making preservation happen. Following Governor Christie Whitman’s 1998 voter referendum that dedicated significant state funds to preservation for a decade, Bill led D&R Greenway in preserving a record 25 properties a year! Many landowners remember Bill fondly as someone who spoke about how to preserve their land while wielding a fishing rod, or while eating pie at a kitchen table.

Extending into personal commitment, Bill led his family in preservation of their farm. Growing up on 118 acres purchased by his Ukrainian grandparents in 1926 for $6,600, Bill’s love for the land was shared by his parents Stephen and Edith, and his sister Brenda and her family. Together they protected the land as open space forever. Even further, Bill turned the former sod farm into a pollinator meadow and wetland habitat with native plants, protecting the salamanders and frogs, the birds and wildlife, that were so much a part of his life growing up with his sister on the land.

(2nd from right) Bill Rawlyk with his parents, and his sister and her family, made the choice of preservation for their family farm in Hunterdon County.

Greenway Gala Celebrating 20 Years of Impact at the Johnson Education Center, Sunday May 31, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Presentation of the 2026 Donald B. Jones Conservation Award to Bill Rawlyk and Chris Tarr, Esq.

Gala Sponsorships Available
Tickets Required for this Special Event

Sponsorships support our work as we celebrate
Connecting
People ~ Wildlife ~ Community ~ Land

DIRECTIONS: 1 Preservation Place, Princeton (just off of Rosedale Road) next to Greenway Meadows Park

D&R Greenway’s Donald B. Jones Conservation Award is presented annually
to recognize those who have made a significant contribution to conservation.
It is a high honor that stands for personal commitment with on-the-ground results.

Click here to learn more about past recipients of the
Donald B. Jones Conservation Award

About D&R Greenway Land Trust:  D&R Greenway Land Trust is an accredited nonprofit that has reached a new milestone of over 22,000 acres of land preserved throughout central New Jersey since 1989. By protecting land in perpetuity and creating public trails, it gives everyone the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. The land trust’s preserved farms and community gardens provide local organic food for residents of the region—including those most in need. Through strategic land conservation and stewardship, D&R Greenway combats climate change, protects birds and wildlife, and ensures clean drinking water for future generations.

D&R Greenway’s mission is centered on connecting land with people from all walks of life. Visit our Facebook and Instagram pages and www.drgreenway.org to learn about the organization’s latest news and in-person and virtual programs. D&R Greenway Land Trust, One Preservation Place, Princeton NJ 08540.  The best way to reach D&R Greenway staff is by sending an e-mail to info@drgreenway.org or by calling D&R Greenway at 609-924-4646.