Long before he understood the lasting importance of forests, James simply knew how they made him feel.

As a young boy—no more than eight years old, he spent his days exploring what felt like a vast forest just beyond his home. It was likely a neighborhood park, but to James, it was something far greater. It was a place of imagination and discovery, where he built forts from fallen branches and wandered beneath trees that seemed to stretch endlessly toward the sky. It was there that he first felt a quiet sense of awe for the natural world—a feeling that would stay with him for a lifetime.

That early connection didn’t immediately shape his career. Like many, James followed opportunity, pursuing work that offered stability and growth. But over time, something deeper began to pull him back outdoors. He found his way into the outdoor recreation industry, spending more than two decades in and around the ski world where the boundaries between work and wilderness often blurred, and where National Forests formed the backdrop of daily life.

In those years, his personal and professional paths began to align.

Through his work, James became a strong supporter of the National Forest Foundation. What began as philanthropy soon became something more personal. He stepped into roles as a board member, advocate, and steward of the landscapes that had long shaped him.

Still, it was a quieter moment—during estate planning—that ultimately defined his legacy. James and his wife, Heather, were asked a simple but profound question: What do you want to leave behind?

For James, the answer came naturally.

In a world that moves faster each year, where so much feels temporary, National Forests endure. They offer a rare kind of space to breathe, to reflect, and to reconnect. Including the National Forest Foundation in his estate plans was a way to ensure that these places, which had given him so much, will continue to stand strong for generations to come.

When he thinks about the future, James thinks about his children and the world they are inheriting. His gift is rooted in the hope that they, and others like them, will always have access to places that inspire wonder, build confidence, and remind us of something greater than ourselves.

Because for James, forests were never just places. They are where it all began. And through this gift, they will remain part of what he leaves behind.