D&R Greenway, Whole Earth Partnership

D&R Greenway Gives Thanks to the Land and to the Whole Earth Center

Princeton, N.J.— For more than a quarter century, D&R Greenway has been preserving land—more than 20,000 acres!—to keep the garden in the Garden State. For nearly half a century, the Whole Earth Center of Princeton has reaped the bounty of preserved farmland, assuring that kitchens and tables are plentiful with foods harvested from the land.

“This time of year, we give thanks for the land and all that grows in rich organic soil. D&R Greenway is grateful for 23 years of support from the Whole Earth Center as a Business Partner in Preservation,” says D&R Greenway President & CEO Linda Mead.

"For almost 50 years now, the Whole Earth Center has worked to build and expand the market for organic produce, from New Jersey farms, both within our store and throughout the community,” says Laura Huntsman, Whole Earth's Board Chair. "Our hope is to see more land preserved rather than developed, and to see our preserved farmland managed to protect our natural resources while producing high-quality and flavorful produce, healthy and humanely-produced eggs, dairy and meat. D&R Greenway's tireless efforts to preserve local farmland are crucial to our own goal of making New Jersey the Organic Garden State."

The Whole Earth Center is a community-based natural foods store that was founded in 1970 by a group of local environmental activists. The store was started with two goals: to provide a place where Princeton-area residents can buy environmentally friendly foods and household products, and to generate money to fund environmental projects and organizations. As a locally-owned independent retailer, the store's management team works closely with Princeton-area businesses and non-profits to support organic farming, school gardens, bicycling, recycling, energy conservation and other community friendly activities. Over the past 47 years Whole Earth has funded a wide range of innovative environmental education projects. They provide a place where community members can learn about environmental issues and take action to voice their support and concerns.

Deb Kilmer, manager of D&R Greenway’s Business Partners in Preservation program, invites other businesses to contact her to learn how they can support the mission and reap the benefits of business partnership. She can be reached at dkilmer@drgreenway.org or 609-924-4646 ext. 132.

Visit D&R Greenway Land Trust at the Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Place, Princeton, to learn more about protected lands you can enjoy in central New Jersey and how you can become involved in preserving Land for Life. www.drgreenway.org

***

D&R GREENWAY LAND TRUST IS IN ITS 29TH YEAR of preserving and protecting natural lands, farmlands and open spaces throughout central and southern New Jersey. Through continuous preservation and stewardship -- caring for land and easements to ensure they remain protected and ecologically healthy in perpetuity -- D&R Greenway nurtures a healthier and more diverse environment for people and wild species in seven counties. Accredited by the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission, D&R Greenway’s mission is to preserve and care for land and inspire a conservation ethic, now and for the future. Since its founding in 1989, D&R Greenway has permanently preserved more than 20,000 acres, an area 20 times the size of New York City’s Central Park, including 30 miles of trails open to the public.

The Johnson Education Center, a circa 1900 restored barn at One Preservation Place, Princeton, is D&R Greenway’s home. Through programs, art exhibits and related lectures, D&R Greenway inspires greater public commitment to safeguarding land.