Hudson Ledeen has been hired as the Community Coordinator for the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness organization. Photo courtesy of Pete Marshall
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection, preservation and restoration of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, has hired Hudson Ledeen as their Community Coordinator. Based in Ely, Ledeen will build relationships with community members around Ely, the North Shore and Gunflint Trail. He will listen to their concerns and work on areas of economic development, such as rural broadband and relocating state jobs to these communities.
“At the heart of our mission at Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, is the belief that the health of Ely, Grand Marais, and other communities that surround the Boundary Waters is deeply interconnected with the future of the wilderness,” says Chris Knopf, Executive Director of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. “To ensure the Boundary Waters remain protected, we need to work with the people and communities at the edge of the wilderness. We need to build partnerships and connect with people who may not agree with our stance against copper-sulfide mining. We need to be listeners.”
Ledeen and his wife Katie, along with their 12-year-old dog have made Ely their home for nearly three years. During that time, Ledeen has graduated from Vermilion Community College, where he earned his Applied Science Degree in Natural-Resources Technology, with a focus on forestry and wildlife. Passionate about conservation, public lands and natural resources, Ledeen has an impressive background when it comes to outdoor experience. He has removed beaver dams, trapped and relocated bears, tagged migrating birds, worked as a fishing guide, canoe outfitter, a snowmobile and ATV safety instructor, and is an avid hunter and angler whose idea of a perfect evening involves punching holes in the ice and hooking into the perfect eating sized walleye.
About his new role, Ledeen says, “I’m very excited for the opportunity to give back to Ely and other gateway communities around the BWCA in ways that align with my passion for conservation and land stewardship. I look forward to having an open door, to listening and collaborating with my neighbors while continuing the good work of the Friends.”
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