Commissioner Franz On Washington Environmental Policy and Community Resilience

Archived video of the Zoom Webinar

Commissioner Franz will address the environmental challenges facing the state – from wildfire to climate change to salmon habitat – and how addressing those challenges can create new opportunities for rural jobs and stronger communities.

 

About the Speaker

Hillary Franz, Speaker
Hillary Franz
Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands (DNR)

Elected in 2016, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz protects and manages nearly six million acres of public lands in Washington State – from coastal waters and aquatic reserves, to working forests and farms, to commercial developments and recreation areas. Commissioner Franz is committed to ensuring our public lands are healthy and productive, both today and for future generations. 

She is leading the push to make Washington’s lands resilient in the face of climate change, investing in carbon sequestration and clean energy with wind, solar, and geothermal infrastructure.

As the leader of our state's largest wildfire fighting force, she has pushed for new strategies, innovations, and resources to protect our communities.

In order to restore wildfire resilience in our forests, Commissioner Franz developed a 20-year Forest Health Strategic Plan. This plan will make more than one million acres of forest healthier and more resistant to wildfires – a scale and pace that is unprecedented.  

And she has prioritized investments in our rural communities, allocating millions of dollars to spark economic opportunities in struggling communities. She knows that our working lands – and the communities that depend on them for family-wage jobs – are integral to our success as a state, and she is investing in their success.

Hilary is a third-generation farmer and small forest landowner, and has raised three wonderful boys.  She holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a juris doctor from Northeastern University Law School.

Environmental Speaker Series

The Environmental Speaker Series is hosted by the College of the Environment at Western Washington University.

The Series is free and open to the public. Talks are held each Thursday at 4:30 pm in Academic Instructional Center West room 204 - AW-204. Talks will also be streamed via Zoom. Register with The Foundation for WWU & Alumni for the zoom link. Parking is available in lot C.

Learn more about the Environmental Speaker Series


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