James Atkinson:  

Life Had the good fortune of being born in the state of Virginia. From age 0 - 5, lived in Warsaw near the Rappahannock River. Small town living made an indelible mark during those years as I never entirely adapted to life in Richmond. Moved to Richmond just in time to start school. Attended Ginter Park Elementary from K - 3rd grade. Moved again and attended Jackson Davis Elementary from Grades 4 - 6. Attended Tuckahoe Middle during 7th and 8th grades. Attended J.R. Tucker for all of high school. Richmond isn't a bad place, just wasn't for me. In the fall of 1977, I moved to Clifton Forge, Virginia and attended Dabney S. Lancaster Community College (name changed to Mountain Gateway CC in 2022). In June, 1980, I received a double major (Associate in Applied Science) in Forest and Wildlife Management. Worked for the U.S. Forest Service on the George Washington National Forest (summer, 1980) and with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Moomaw (summer, 1981). In the fall of 1982, I attended Ferrum College to finish my bachelors degree. During the summer of 1983, I did an internship with the National Park Service at Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. So began my western travel days. Graduated from Ferrum in 1984 and joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Willapa National Wildlife Refuge in Washington State. Served as a Wildlife Biologist at Willapa NWR from 1984 to 1992. Marri...Expand for more