Johnson, who came to the Conservancy in 1994 after serving as the Director of the State Department of Transportation, oversaw a statewide Conservancy staff of 50 people and an annual operating budget of $4.5 million.

Conservancy Board Chairman Jeff Watanabe said an interim director will be named shortly and that a search for a new executive director will begin immediately.

"Rex Johnson is leaving The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i in the strongest shape it’s ever been in," said Watanabe. "Rex expanded the Conservancy’s reach in hard economic times and strengthened its position as the state’s leading private conservation organization. Rex is well loved by his staff, respected by his peers, and leaves with the deep appreciation of the conservation community and the Board of Directors of this organization. We all wish him well."

Johnson’s legacy at the Conservancy includes a long list of program accomplishments. Under his leadership, the Conservancy became a statewide organization, opening new offices on Kaua'i and the Island of Hawai'i and acquiring its first Big Island preserves at Honomalino and Kapu'a on the South Kona Coast.

Last year, the Conservancy played a prominent role in establishing and acquiring funding for the new 4,525-acre O'ahu Forest National Wildlife Refuge in the Ko'olau Mountains– the first national refuge protecting native forests on O'ahu. The property, which was purchased from Castle & Cooke, Inc., was transferred to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in December.

Currently, the Conservancy is working on what would be its largest acquisition ever, the purchase of the Big Island’s 117,000-acre Kahuku Ranch. If acquired, the ranch would be transferred to The National Park Service as an addition to Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Although Johnson’s last day at the Conservancy will be July 2, during the next six months he will assist with completing the Kahuku purchase and other ongoing acquisitions on the Big Island, Maui, Moloka'i, and Kaua'i. He will also assist with the transition to a new executive director.

Under Johnson, the Conservancy invested heavily in watershed partnerships on East and West Maui and on East Moloka'i. Together, these three partnerships help protect 150,000 acres of native forest that are primary sources of water for these islands.

The Conservancy also invested heavily under Johnson in the fight to keep harmful alien pests out of Hawai'i. Johnson worked with other state and federal agencies to build public awareness of the alien species issue and helped garner political support and increased funding for such threats as the brown tree snake and the invasive plant miconia.

"It’s been a great run and real honor to lead The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i for the last seven years," said Johnson. "I’ve had the privilege of working with a fantastic staff, a great group of donors, partners, and supporters, and the best board of directors in the state. Thanks to them, I leave knowing that both the organization and natural areas we protect are in good health."

The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i is an affiliate of The Nature Conservancy, an international private, non-profit organization based in Arlington, Virginia. The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the places they need to survive. Since 1980, The Nature Conservancy of Hawai'i has helped protect more than 200,000 acres across the state. It has a statewide system of 10 preserves totaling 27,000 acres and has helped protect another 175,000 acres through cooperative projects with federal, state, county and private partners.