For 10 years as a docent with The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Irvine Ranch Land Reserve, Jim has led hikes, filled the water troughs for equestrians, and done much needed maintenance in the office.

Jim was one of our long distance hikers until he injured his knee two summers ago. He started filling the water troughs for TNC equestrian rides just to stay active and continues to fill them as needed even though he has begun giving mid-level distance tours.

Jim began volunteering for The Nature Conservancy to have a local place where he could get away and enjoy the outdoors, but now he finds it gratifying to give others the chance to experience the land he has come to love so much. His favorite aspect of volunteering is “the reaction people have to the wilderness and the size of this [open space] area in the midst of Orange County.”

Jim was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. He spent his early years in the country, and later moved to a small town. His education began in a one room country school. His first job was in a steel mill, where he worked from 3:00 to 11:00 p.m. while in high school. In addition, Jim has worked as a surveyor, draftsman, construction manager and iron worker. He also served his country as a paratrooper in the 82nd airborne division.

He has always enjoyed the outdoors: hunting, fishing, camping, canoeing, white water rafting, rock climbing, skiing, caving, scuba diving, gold panning and hiking - any excuse to enjoy nature. When he isn’t “outside,” Jim spends time woodworking, remodeling his children’s homes, and playing with his grandchildren. Like most of us, he also enjoys traveling.

Jim has also volunteered for the Bighorn Sheep Society and Red Feather Development Group, where he helped build a straw bale house on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana last summer.

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