The articles below are from D&R Greenway’s newsletter Greenways. Click here for a full newsletter archive.

Winter 2021 (page 1)

Legacy Gift of 800 Acres in Honor of Betty Wold Johnson

Winter 2020 (page 1)

Preservation of Point Breeze

Winter 2019 (page 1)

Zizak Farm

The farm was the first property that D&R Greenway acquired using its Revolving Land Fund, established in 2016. The RLF’s purpose is to enable D&R Greenway to preserve land without having to permanently invest the full price of the property. The ability to buy land with the intent of re-selling it as conserved property enables D&R Greenway to counter the financial pressure developers can put on a landowner to sell before preservation can be funded. In some cases, the RLF provides “upfront” funds that enable the purchase and are reimbursed later from public funds. When the property is re-sold to a conservation buyer, or reimbursements are received, the proceeds come back to the RLF.  Click Here to Read Full Newsletter.

Winter 2019 (page 4)

New Iron Mike Trail is a Legacy to a Remarkable Man

If there is a heaven, Michael Snyder is looking down from it, smiling on his family and the gift they created for the community: the ‘Iron Mike Trail.’ Across from the entrance to the Johnson Education Center on Rosedale Road in Princeton, an arbor and kiosk welcomes walkers to a one-mile loop trail that connects to Johnson Park School, the elementary school attended by the four Snyder children. Dedicated by the family on Thanksgiving weekend, Mike’s wife Barbara Snyder was touched by the outpouring of love from many, many friends and the beauty of the trail. “This is exactly what Mike would have loved,” she enthused. “The natural areas along the wooded trail where animals live, the purposely placed stumps of trees that create seats in the forest, a place to walk while quietly appreciating nature.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter.

Spring 2019 (page 1)

Revolutionary Partnerships Preserve Land

There are heroes who are commemorated for a single act of courage. And then there are the heroes who continue winning battles for the betterment of humankind. Bob Vaucher of Bridgewater Township, who is 100 years old, falls into the latter category of continuous battle winner. As a lieutenant colonel, Vaucher flew 117 combat missions during World War II. He led the squadron of planes that flew over the USS Missouri as Gen. Douglas MacArthur was presiding over the formal ceremonies that ended World War II. Most recently, Vaucher proved his mettle working with partners led by his neighbors and D&R Greenway Land Trust to preserve 36 acres of historic property in Bridgewater Township. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter.

Winter 2018 (page 1)

New Ways to Experience Nature — Our Gift to You

Open your ears and go outside. It’s really that simple. D&R Greenway’s newest trail is more than a pathway: it is an entirely new way to connect people and nature. The new “Healing Trail” on our Conservation Campus in Princeton celebrates nature’s power to make people feel better. You know that boost that you feel when you forget about your troubles and just sit in the sun? Or the way that you know your muscles are growing stronger because each time you walk up a hill it gets easier? The Healing Trail owes its existence to one remarkable woman. Her extraordinary response to illness led D&R Greenway to create this storybased trail that spreads happiness like colorful wildflowers in a field. The idea for a Healing Trail was planted by Edie Howard, who in 2013 preserved her farm with D&R Greenway. Edie inspired all of us with her buoyant spirit. She and her husband Charlie walked the perimeter of their 30-acre farm every day, hand-in-hand. During those walks, Edie allowed the beauty of nature to heal her soul and strengthen her body. Now the idea that Edie passed on—to send out a positive spirit and inspire others to find joy in nature—will live on to everyone’s benefit. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter.

Fall 2018 (page 1)

300th Property Preserved Protects Clean Water

From our very beginning, D&R Greenway has been about the life-giving link between land and water. In fact, the connection is embedded in our name. D&R is water—the Delaware & Raritan Canal. Greenway is the land along the water—not just land, but “green” land, land that supports life. Land+water=life. D&R Greenway was founded in 1989. Who could have imagined back then, that before we’d toasted our 30th anniversary we’d be celebrating the preservation of our 300th property? This major milestone is especially apt because we preserved significant watershed lands.  Our 300th preserved property, Woosamonsa Ridge Preserve, comprises over 146 acres of green forests—much of Pennington Mountain in Hopewell Township, Mercer County. Together with a second, contiguous site, there are now over 175 acres newly preserved. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Spring 2017 (page 6)

Final 20 Acres Saved for St. Michaels Farm Preserve in Hopewell

Several private donors, who provided two-thirds of funding, and Mercer County’s Open Space Program raised $600,000 for the new property. It allows greater public access to the preserve, which totals more than 400 acres. Active farmland and wildflower meadows create a vibrant community asset, while the remnants of St. Michaels Orphanage provide a place of healing and reflection. “Many may not remember that the Diocese kept these 20 acres from the original acquisition with the intention to build a parish house on this site,” says Linda Mead, President and CEO of D&R Greenway.  “When they decided to divest themselves of this property, it was only natural that it became a part of our preserve and a special place to honor the many children who lived here for nearly a hundred years.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Spring 2016 (2015 Annual Report, page 1)

Preserving an Old Farm with New Thinking:  A Revolving Land Fund Takes Root

Preservation of the 52-acre Muscente farm is not only a critical achievement for D&R Greenway Land Trust, it’s the start of a new funding paradigm.

This serene historic farm with classic proportions is an image of endurance with its grand oak-lined entrance. But its solid place in the landscape belies groundbreaking changes.

D&R Greenway to the Rescue: The Muscente property is a developer’s dream: largely unobstructed flat fields, in the midst of a desirable community on Route 518.

So when the property came onto the real estate market, D&R Greenway had to act quickly to make sure this high-priority parcel would not be lost to development. The Board of Trustees authorized the first use of the newly established Revolving Land Fund (RLF).

Explains D&R Greenway trustee Betsy Sands, “Being able to move quickly to secure a property for open space preservation is critical, especially now when the availability and timing of public funds is uncertain. D&R Greenway has established the Revolving Land Fund to apply private funding to land preservation.” The unrestricted land is resold in a way that ensures permanent protection. The best part, as Betsy continues, is that “the funds are used to replenish the RLF so that another open space opportunity can be pursued.” The money keeps working for preservation again and again. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Winter 2014 (page 1)

An Urban Farm Takes Root

The weedy, odd-shaped property on Escher St. next to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, a remnant of a former railroad siding, appears to be just a vacant lot. But to an urban farmer, it may be the most valuable real estate there is: a place to grow food.

The site, formerly owned by Norma Pratico, was acquired for the public by the City of Trenton, through a partnership spearheaded by D&R Greenway. The Pratico family, longtime gardeners whose backyard sign read “Weed Now—Eat Later,” are thrilled that the property has found a new use. “We’re pleased to be a part of this wonderful project,” remarked Sharon Pratico. “Placement of this community farm in the midst of the agencies that serve the people of Trenton who need it most could not be a better fit. This project may serve as a model for other urban areas in New Jersey and beyond.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Fall 2014 (page 1)

A Dream Realized: New Tulpehaking Nature Center is Gateway to the Abbott Marshlands

A natural oasis, the marsh is as productive as a tropical rainforest. Speaking of D&R Greenway’s twenty year effort led by trustee Mary Leck to transform this area from a neglected trash site to a treasured resource, Linda Mead, D&R Greenway President & CEO shares, “We began by engaging the community in cleanups and canoe trips to create awareness about this special place in our own backyard. That led to the dream of a place where people could come to learn and appreciate the special qualities of the Marsh.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

“Mercer County is excited to expand its robust nature programs to our new Tulpehaking Nature Center,” says Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes. “This beautiful new classroom and meeting space adds an important recreational resource, especially for children from nearby Trenton, and will serve as a window to one of our richest natural habitats.” Hughes credits the success of the project “to our steadfast public and private partners, especially D&R Greenway Land Trust and the Friends for the Marsh.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Spring 2014 (2013 Annual Report, page 1)

Howard Farm Preservation is an Investment in Family, Food and Community

Watching the grandchildren weave their way among 1,500 pound cows, the Howards’ ruminate on their investment in land that turned into food for the soul.

“It was an alternative 401k Plan,” explained Dr. Charles Howard of his 35-acre farm in Montgomery Township. “We figured we could sell it someday for development.” As retirement approached and it was time to think of cashing in his “401k”, Dr. Howard, a radiologist, and his wife Edie decided they did not want to part with the land.

The 35-acre Howard Farm in Montgomery Township is the 253rd property protected by D&R Greenway since its founding in 1989. Today the farm is surrounded by suburban homes, an oasis of the town’s rural character in a developed landscape. “The Howards’ open working farm is important to the surrounding community,” says D&R Greenway President Linda Mead. “It is bordered on three sides by houses. The next crop would surely have been tract homes if the Howards hadn’t made the important move to preserve it.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Winter 2013 (page 1)

250th Milestone Legacy Preserves a Place for Wildlife

The crest of the hill crowned by the Wooden Preserve, D&R Greenway’s landmark 250th preserved property, affords sweeping views. This is a place from which we can gaze across long distances—over land and over time. The newest preserve, 43 acres in West Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, extends along the west side of Woodens Lane, south of Route 518. In this panorama, all the elements flow seamlessly together into a dynamic whole. Your eyes follow the undulating hills, and the linear ridges, hedgerows and stream corridors; delight in the expansive open spaces, pause at the punctuation marks of barns, houses and silos; exult in the sunlight that burnishes the fields and gilds the river; linger on the inscrutably dark evergreen forests. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Summer 2013 (page 5)

Barn Celebration at the St. Michaels Farm Preserve!

The barn project at St. Michaels Farm Preserve is almost finished. In spring 2013, a new foundation was prepared and a circa 1840 timber frame barn, moved from 8 miles away, was sorted, fitted and assembled. Donated by D&R Greenway trustee Dr. Dave Reynolds, the barn frame celebrates the historic heritage of agriculture on the farm, which once supplied food to the St. Michaels Orphanage.

Come see the finished result on Saturday, September 28, from 5 to 8 pm, following the Hopewell Harvest Fair! Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Spring 2012 (2011 Annual Report, page 1)

D&R Greenway Among First Ten Percent of Land Trusts in Nation to Achieve Accreditation Status

T he Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance, has awarded accredited status–the highest level of distinction– to D&R Greenway Land Trust. Among the first 10% of land trusts nationwide to reach accreditation, this seal of approval ensures that D&R Greenway meets national standards for excellence, upholding the public trust and ensuring that conservation efforts are permanent. The Accreditation seal is a mark of distinction in land conservation.

In speaking of the rigorous review, Alan Hershey, D&R Greenway Board of Trustees Chair and an avid trail builder, shares this analogy, “The path was long and not always straight. We had to ford streams and scale mountains. We were all tied together…. It worked. Congratulations to the staff and the accreditation committee of trustees. We have improved our already excellent practices and achieved something worth celebrating.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Summer 2011 (page 10)

Remembering Greenway Meadows, Coventry Farm and Carson Road Woods

D&R Greenway put together private-public partnerships to preserve three tracts of land that are now community treasures: Greenway Meadows and Coventry Farm in Princeton and Carson Road Woods in Lawrence.

Greenway Meadows on Rosedale Road is now familiar to friends of D&R Greenway. The 60-acre former Robert Wood Johnson estate, with its historic barn, now hosts the Johnson Education Center surrounded by open space and Princeton Township recreation fields.

Coventry Farm on The Great Road, at 160 acres the largest tract of open space then remaining in Princeton, was acquired to preserve farmland and woodland, and to provide active recreation areas.

The 183-acre Carson Road Woods was the second largest open space left in Lawrence Township.

Phyllis Marchand, former mayor of Princeton Township who worked on these and other preservation projects, observes, “D&R Greenway was an absolute joy to work with. Their help was paramount in saving important properties. They’re really good at leveraging the dollars: combining private contributions together with public money—and all in short timeframes.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Summer 2011 (page 8)

Princeton Nurseries: New Jersey’s Largest-ever Preservation Acquisition

State funding will help create the largest open space and farmland acquisition in the state’s history—nearly 3 square miles straddling 3 counties, using a total of $27.8 million. The deal will preserve wildlife habitat and farmland, and will add to parks and greenways along historic Crosswicks Creek. The 1,900-acre property to be acquired is land owned by the Flemer family, which operated Princeton Nurseries on the site until recently.

Bill Flemer noted, “It’s a comfort to know that the land we cared about, and cared for, will continue to be treated with the same love and regard.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Summer 2011 (page 6)

Green Acres celebrates 50th anniversary and 20-year partnership with D&R Greenway

Since 1961, Green Acres has protected over 650,000 acres of open space. As noted by NJDEP Commissioner Bob Martin, “The idea of using public money to purchase open space and setting it aside for public conservation and recreation in perpetuity was groundbreaking.” For 20 years, D&R Greenway has partnered with Green Acres to preserve important landscapes. “We’ve had an excellent relationship with D&R Greenway,” says Martha Sullivan Sapp, Local and Nonprofit Assistance Bureau Chief. “It’s a partnership in the true sense of the word: it’s mutually beneficial. We provide funding assistance to D&R Greenway; they lead people to us and help us put deals together—even if they’re not part of the project. When we need something, we call them.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

2009 Annual Report (page 1)

St. Michael’s Property Preserved!

“The preservation of this property will forever safeguard the unique charm and character enjoyed by Hopewell Borough and Township today.” — D&R Greenway Land Trust Board Chair Richard Goldman

On January 19, 2010, the deeds were signed that provide for the permanent preservation of the 340-acre St. Michael’s property in Hopewell. It took more than six years to bring the St. Michael’s preservation project to a successful conclusion. According to D&R Greenway Executive Director Linda Mead, “In the 20 years of D&R Greenway’s history this was by far the most intricate preservation project we’ve ever encountered.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Spring 2009 (page 1)

20 Years, 20 Square Miles of Preserved Land

“How do I feel about D&R Greenway today? It is one of my proudest achievements. I continue to be dedicated to the goals and efforts of this extraordinary organization and its enlightened leadership.” — Rosemary Miles Blair Founder and Trustee

Over the past twenty years, D&R Greenway has grown from a volunteer grassroots organization into one of the most recognized land trusts in New Jersey. What has remained the same is our mission. From our first temporary office at 621 Alexander Road to our permanent home at the Johnson Education Center, D&R Greenway’s core tenet has been to preserve and protect the land.

You, our supporters, have made this possible. As we celebrate 20 square miles — nearly 13,000 acres — of preserved land, we celebrate the milestones that have made a difference in the lives of those that live in our communities. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Fall 2008 (page 1)

1,900 Acres of Farmland — Preserved!

A timely phone call from D&R Greenway supporter Elizabeth Stetson to longtime family friend Jack Seabrook set the stage for one of D&R Greenway’s most significant preservation projects ever—the permanent protection of Seabrook Farms in Mannington Township, Salem County, New Jersey. The agreement was announced during a press conference at Seabrook Farms on November 12, 2008. D&R Greenway served as an advisor to the Seabrook family during the process and helped structure a preservation solution through a cooperative effort among four public entities: the New Jersey State Agriculture Development Committee, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program, Salem County and Mannington Township. As a result, the SADC will purchase the development rights on approximately 1,770 acres of farmland and the DEP Green Acres Program will purchase outright another 120 acres that will be managed by the DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife. Both Salem County and Mannington Township contributed funding to the project. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Fall 2007 (page 1)

10,000 Reasons to Celebrate!

“Preserving 10,000 acres is a significant achievement for our organization and a time to reflect on the future of D&R Greenway as we approach our 20th anniversary,” observed Richard Goldman, chair of the board of trustees of D&R Greenway. “Here in central New Jersey, the average size of one of our preservation transactions is just 55 acres and some of our preserved properties consist of fewer than 10 acres. The dedication and diligence of our staff and the commitment and collaboration of our partners has made this 10,000-acre milestone a reality. As we work toward preserving our next 10,000 acres, we will continue to rely on the strong support of the community, the New Jersey Green Acres Program and the New Jersey State Agricultural Development Committee, county and municipal officials and local conservation partners.” Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Winter 2007 (page 1)

Community Unites to Save St. Michaels

The Borough of Hopewell is surrounded to the south and east by 337 acres of farm and woodlands, known locally as St. Michaels. In 2004, the Diocese of Trenton asked D&R Greenway to preserve the property for $11 million. Working with our state, county and local partners, we secured $8 million in public funding. The remaining $3 million needed to be raised from private sources. Faced with the frightening prospect of unwanted development, in the summer of 2006, a group of concerned Hopewell residents stepped forward to raise the remaining funds required to preserve the St. Michael’s land. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Fall 2006 (page 1)

D&R Greenway Partners with 3M and The Nature Conservancy to Expand Preservation in the Sourlands

In 2004, 3M pledged $1.5 million to The Nature Conservancy to protect the forest of the Sourlands. Based on D&R Greenway’s knowledge of central New Jersey and strong reputation with landowners, they sought our help. After weighing all the possibilities, we recommended six properties which total 287 acres. Ten percent of the total purchase price of each property will be placed into endowment, to ensure perpetual stewardship of the land. These six properties contribute to the ongoing partnership between D&R Greenway and the NJDEP Green Acres Program to preserve central New Jersey’s last wilderness. We are deeply grateful to 3M, for their recognition of this vital region and to The Nature Conservancy, for calling on us to help realize 3M’s goals. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Winter 2005 (page 1)

A New Year, a New Record and Soon, a New Home for D&R Greenway Land Trust

Our 15th anniversary year at D&R Greenway Land Trust was truly something to celebrate. We placed a record number of properties under permanent protection and successfully completed the first phase of a $3.5 million capital campaign to open the Johnson Education Center. In 2004, we preserved a record 28 properties encompassing 1,260 acres—from mature forests in the Sourlands to working farms in central New Jersey. As our new home, the Johnson Education Center will strengthen community engagement and increase the capacity of local governments, grassroots organizations and state, county and nonprofit partners to protect and effectively manage land. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Winter 1999 (page 4)

A Growing Greenway – Ten Years in Review

Officially established in 1989, D&R Greenway Land Trust has come a long way from its humble beginnings. In our first few years as a 501 © (3) organization, we completed our first conservation easement on the Shipetaukin and established the McBurney Woods Preserve with Green Acres, the first project of its kind in New Jersey. We were honored with an Environmental Achievement Award from ANJEC in 1993 and went on to establish the Donald B. Jones Conservation Award in 1995, the same year we celebrated our first 1,000 acres of preserved land.  In 1996, we assumed a leadership role for New Jersey’s first Land Trust Rally and kicked off the Campaign for Open Space with the governor in 1998. From Trenton to the Sourland Mountains, we invite you to join us in making history! Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Fall 1999 (page 4)

Celebrating Women and the Land

More than sixty landowners and friends attended a special evening of inspiration and conservation sponsored by D&R Greenway in September. Reeve Lindbergh, youngest daughter of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, delighted the audience with a reading from her family memoir Under a Wing and several children’s books that she has authored. The program was hosted by Deborah Strom Gibbons. Ms. Gibbons placed a conservation easement on her Ridge Road farm in Hopewell and wants to encourage other women to save their land. The event was held at her farm, a most appropriate setting, since it borders the former Lindbergh Estate which has been protected by the State of New Jersey. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Spring 1997 (page 1)

It’s a Deal – Finally: Institute Lands Are Preserved!

After five years of hard work on the part of many, the long awaited and much desired deal came to fruition. The State of New Jersey, Mercer County, Princeton Township, D&R Greenway and the Institute for Advanced Study entered into an agreement that permanently preserved the Institute’s 589-acre parcel of woodlands and fields, the largest remaining undeveloped tract of land in Princeton Township. The Institute Lands adjoin and unite the Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge to the east, the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park to the south, and the Princeton Battlefield State Park to the north, each vitally important independently, made even more valuable by their linking together. “Never before in the history of New Jersey have we seen so concerted and dedicated an effort by individuals, government, foundations, and organizations to assure that this and future generations benefit from the preservation of such an invaluable natural resource,” said Institute Director Phillip A. Griffiths. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter

Winter 1993 (page 1)

In Perpetuity: The Stony Brook Greenway

The Stony Brook, which reaches from Hunterdon County’s Sourland Mountains to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park in Princeton Township, is one of central New Jersey’s most important and most beautiful waterways. With the help of forward-thinking landowners, D&R Greenway is piecing together the Stony Brook Greenway, creating a ribbon of publicly and privately owned lands that are protected into perpetuity. Many acres have already been protected, yet a great deal of work remains to be done. The long-range success of our efforts depends on the involvement and support of community members – people who share a deep appreciation for this vital natural resource, and who are dedicated to protecting an ecological treasure that is intertwined with our history. Click Here to Read Full Newsletter