Drinker Biddle Partner Richard Goldman to Receive D&R Greenway Donald B. Jones Conservation Award

At its Annual Gala on September 13, D&R Greenway Land Trust will honor Drinker Biddle partner Richard S. Goldman with the Donald B. Jones Conservation Award—an award presented to a person who embodies D&R Greenway’s mission to inspire a conservation ethic. Goldman is no stranger to Greenway’s award. As past Chairman and long-time board member of the organization, he has given the award to many worthy recipients.

Since the Greenway’s founding 25 years ago, Goldman’s vision for land preservation has guided the Princeton-based organization’s work. As a real estate partner at Drinker Biddle, he has given countless hours of pro-bono legal support to secure permanent land preservation, closing nearly 200 of the Greenway’s 260 land transactions.

“Rich’s gifts of expertise, vision and proactive commitment make him the ideal awardee in celebration of our 25th anniversary,” says D&R Greenway President and CEO Linda Mead. “He is a visionary who has led the strategic plan for how and where we preserve land. During his six years as chairman he generously devoted himself to leading D&R Greenway through one of the most significant periods of accomplishment and growth. He gave his time and expertise pro bono to work on the nuts and bolts of acquisitions.”

The very first land transaction in the State of New Jersey involving a nonprofit Green Acres grant would not have come to fruition without Goldman’s leadership. During his tenure as chairman, nearly 7,000 acres were permanently protected, including the 340-acre St. Michaels Farm Preserve in Hopewell, the 2,000 acre Seabrook Farms in South Jersey now under agricultural easements with the State Agriculture Development Committee, and the Cider Mill Preserve in East Amwell, a habitat for threatened grassland birds.  Twenty miles of trails were blazed on D&R Greenway preserves, making the natural world accessible to the public.

D&R Greenway’s Native Plant Nursery was established under Goldman’s chairmanship, where more than 10,000 indigenous plants are grown to repopulate the native landscape.  Goldman oversaw the design, construction and move into D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center in Princeton, a nonprofit meeting hub in central New Jersey that has achieved statewide recognition for its conservation programs and nature-themed art gallery.

“He is an incredible strategic thinker who sees the bigger picture of preservation,” said Mead. “He has taken us through some extraordinary milestones.”

“I was fortunate to join the D&R Greenway Board near its inception and have had the opportunity to play a material role in the acquisition and preservation of more than 20,000 acres of land,” said Goldman, whose knowledge of real estate law and transactions, coupled with his love of natural lands, animals and birds and habitat makes his commitment to D&R Greenway a perfect choice.  “Many of these acquisitions have a significant impact on our community and our future quality of life.  This is a permanent legacy that will be enjoyed by generations to come.” 

Donald B. Jones (1911-1994) was a determined preservationist who spent his time and resources saving the land and historic buildings that give the Princeton region its special character. D&R Greenway presents an annual award to a recipient who has displayed a similar selfless generosity, making a significant impact on our landscape.