JAY HUDSON

Jay Hudson is an avid bird watcher and photographer and has a great appreciation for the outdoors. He is the volunteer newsletter writer of a nationally recognized column on the relationship between bird behavior and human behavior. He is editor, writer and photographer for the Great Bear River Bird Refuge Newsletter and was the creator of the Riverkeeper Program for Weber County. He has also written articles and provided photos for Sunset Magazine, Standard Examiner, Weber County Library, Junction Magazine, Trust for Public Lands, Weber State University, Salt Lake Tribune, Utah Outdoors Magazine, U.S. Forest Service, Marriott Slaterville City, Riverdale City, Ogden Camera Club, Weber Pathways, Audubon Society and Trust for Public Lands.

Hudson’s additional service projects are in the educational realm. Hudson volunteers as a children’s storyteller in the elementary schools, serves as a guest lecturer at Weber State University and is a volunteer writer of short stories for the library newsletter.

In addition, Hudson has spent in excess of 15 years successfully negotiating with approximately 35 entities. He has contacted them for purchases, gifts or simple agreements for the development of the trails in Weber County, including the Indian Trail/Bonneville Shoreline Trail, the Ogden and Weber Rivers portions of the Centennial Trial, Coldwater Canyon Trail head and the 22nd Street Trail head. Because of his efforts, cash, equipment and operations, architectural drawings, construction of shelters and fences were donated. Also bridges, signs, trees, retaining walls, pavement, lighting and maps were given to the projects because of Hudson’s persistence.

Hudson created the web page of the Ogden Trails Network on the city’s web site and the Weber State University web site. He wrote the narratives, provided the photos and coordinated the design. Hudson found the funding for the publication of three different maps of the Ogden Trails Network, also. He has presented the Trails network to churches, civic clubs, Weber County cities, schools and universities, County Commissioners and many others. It is estimated that Hudson brought together 3,500 volunteers and funding in excess of half a million dollars.

The office of Mayor Matthew R. Godfrey said that Hudson has been the single most influential source of the city’s beautiful trail system. The Mayor believes Hudson’s efforts can be attributed to his leadership, perseverance and ability to find and mobilize resources. He has a support network and his highly regarded in the community. This enables him to obtain funding, coordinate large groups of other volunteers and solicit donations for projects. Hudson has a positive effect on and an excellent working relationship with the City of Ogden and other cities throughout Weber County, other government agencies, the business community and the volunteers that share his vision.