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KGMI's Dianna Hawryluk and Jason Upton talk to Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz about her run for Governor in 2024.
We'll be honest—we've been hoping to talk to Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz since this podcast's inception. Franz is responsible for the management of over six millions acres of public lands and the state's wildland firefighting workforce, so we were pretty excited to finally have the opportunity to have a conversation with her a few weeks ago. Our conversation ran the gamut from the forest resilience measures she's taken while in office, to the All Hands All Lands approach to fuels reduction, to her vision for a more fire-adapted Washington. Life with Fire is based in Bellingham, WA—an admittedly wet place to host a wildfire podcast—so we also spoke a bit about the changing conditions in the west Cascades and how her office is hoping to bring more wildfire awareness to the westside. You can support the Life with Fire Patreon if you dig what we're doing, or maybe write us a review or follow us on social media (@lifewithfirepod). If you're looking for a new pack (especially a fire pack!), be sure to go check out Mystery Ranch's wide range of fantastic packs for any activity you partake in: https://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tool_type=cl&merchant_id=dd2bb191-351c-479c-9877-7efa128a6335&website_id=d8132395-0578-4694-9ba8-65dc5a6ef74a&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mysteryranch.com%2F
We debrief on this year's wildfire season, forest health, salmon restoration, balancing the demands of timber communities and environmental groups on state forests, and much more with Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz.
Kim Malcolm talks with Washington's Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz about the 2022 wildfire season.
Good Morning it's Saturday May 1st, and this is The Wenatchee World's newest podcast, Slices of Wenatchee. We're excited to bring you a closer look at one of our top stories and other announcements every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. wenatcheeworld.com/nabur Today - A $2.8 million federal grant will help fund safety measures in Chelan County areas at high risk to wildfire. And the state Department of Natural Resources clarified the program earlier this week. This episode is brought to you by Equilus Group Incorporated. Equilus Group, Inc is a Registered Investment Advisory Firm in the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com. Member SIPC and FINRA. - Now our feature story... A $2.8 million federal grant will help fund safety measures in Chelan County areas at high risk to wildfire. And the state Department of Natural Resources clarified the program earlier this week. It'll pay for forest health treatments over the next five years to property owners whose homes are between Peshastin and Lake Wenatchee. The program will also add to the Chelan County PUD's efforts to clear vegetation near power lines. the state Department of Natural Resources said Monday in a news release. DNR Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz said that collaborating with local organizations across the state is the best way to address our forest health crisis. She also noted that fire doesn't respect property lines - and that's why it's important to be proactive in creating defensible spaces. The grant comes from the Natural Resource Conservation's Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership will be led by the Cascadia Conservation District, Chelan County PUD, and state Department of Natural Resources. So, what's going to be prioritized? First, properties that are identified by DNR for their potential to create high-priority fuel breaks. Those will include Lower Peshastin Creek, Derby Creek, Beaver Creek, Eagle Creek, Chumstick Creek, Lake Wenatchee, Lower Chiwawa River, Lower Nason Creek and Big Meadow Creek. These areas are part of the Wenatchee River watershed, which is identified in the DNR's 20-Year Forest Health Strategic Plan as one of the highest-priority areas for forest restoration and management efforts. CCD Forest Program Manager Patrick Haggerty said that the project is the culmination of years of coordinated planning efforts. The DNR, the U.S. Forest Service, and local fire districts have identified the corridor from lower Peshastin up to Lake Wenatchee as being one of the most important areas in the entire state to take action on wildfire resilience and forest health. Chelan County was also one of three counties tapped by the DNR to participate in Wildfire Ready Neighbors. What's that? A new program that connects residents with experts who can help out in protecting their homes and property. The Fuel Break and Forest Resilience Partnership will target properties next to 140 miles of overhead power lines in the area.The PUD already spends $3 million per year there to trim trees and clear vegetation. PUD General Manager Steve Wright also stressed the importance of the program saying that the issue of forest health and wildfire risk is much bigger than any one agency can tackle. He said that they're excited to collaborate with private landowners, Cascadia Conservation District and DNR. It seems like over 3,000 acres will be treated as part of this project over the next five years. And beyond that, the DNR is looking to treat 1.25 million acres of Washington forest lands by 2037. Landowners should be contacted about the project in the fall. But in the meantime you can contact Cascadia Conservation District at info@cascadiacd.org to learn more. To stay up to date with this story visit us at wenatcheeworld.com. - Before we continue, a special thanks to our friends and sponsors at Confluence Health. The team at Confluence Health is grateful for the trust the community puts in them every single day. They are diligently working to improve the health and quality of life for our friends and neighbors. They are Grateful | They are Confluence Health. Learn more by visiting them at ConfluenceHealth.com -- Next, our weekly profile of one of the World's 30 Under 35 award recipients. This week - Jenaia Johnson. Johnson is in her fifth year of teaching science — this year to ninth-grade students at Wenatchee High School. Before that she taught science at Pioneer and Foothills middle schools. Johnson is a self described Filipino-Indigenous woman on a mission to make science education more equitable and relevant to students. She uses her experience growing up in Wenatchee to connect to her students. And she works to inspire them as they inspire her. After her own graduation from high school, she went on to get an undergraduate degree from the University of Hawaii. There, she majored in secondary education and biology. Now, she's pursuing a master's degree in biology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She'll graduate in May. Johnson has conducted research in Baja California, Mexico, where she spent time collecting data on cactus species at a ranch in the desert; and worked with the Vermilion Sea Institute collecting data on marine species and analyzing whale sharks. And In summer 2019, she was in Namibia doing research for the Cheetah Conservation Fund, learning about the human-wildlife conflict and how implementing relevant and real data and citizen science into the classroom creates a rich science learning environment. And last summer, she was supposed to be in Paraguay, conducting her final research project, but COVID-19 changed those plans. Instead, she partnered with a University in Thailand to create a campaign to bring mindfulness to the west and specifically in education. To her, the work has been enlightening. With so many accomplishments already we asked Johnson what inspires her to be successful. She said that having the opportunities that were given to her by her upbringing — from parents and family to teachers in the Wenatchee School District — has given her the chance to see the world on her own. Johnson explained that we all live in such a special place and community, and she's passionate about keeping our world in its natural wonder. Johnson also talked about wanting her students of color to be able to make a difference, to build compassion for the earth and one another. Ultimately it's her students who inspire her. She said that to have even one student each year build their own passion for the world around them is what drives her to continue this path in education. Also, don't forget that nominations for the 30 Under 35 Class of 2021 are due by May 14. For details go to wenatcheeworld.com/30under35. - Before we go, some local history, Wenatchee Valley History is brought to you by NABUR – your trusted neighborhood community. NABUR is a free online forum you can trust to connect with your community, focus on facts & make a difference. Join the conversation! Visit wenatcheeworld.com/nabur Now, some history… Lake Chelan is located on land historically associated with the Chelan Indian Tribe. It sits within the traditional territory of several native groups speaking the Interior Salish language. The area was homesteaded in 1862 by John W. Stevenson, a blacksmith from Ohio. Later, in 1880 The town of Chelan was established as a military post in by Colonel John Merriam. It was officially incorporated as a town in 1902. In 1942 - in response to increased tourism in the region, State Parks bought the first parcel of land that would become Lake Chelan State Park. The park opened just one year later and since then it's attracted multiple generations of families. Many families several have vacationed here since the 1960s. - Thanks for listening. Today's episode is brought to you by Equilus Group, Inc- Building Your Financial Success. Learn more at Equilusfinancial.com The Wenatchee World has been engaging, informing and inspiring North Central Washington Communities since 1905. We encourage you to subscribe today to keep your heart and mind connected to what matters most in North Central Washington. Thank you for starting your morning with us and don't forget to tune in again on Tuesday! Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
https://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/commissioner-hilary-franz-unveils-sweeping-wildfire-and-forest-health-funding-proposal https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1168&Initiative=false&Year=2021
We get a sense of what life is like onboard a US Navy aircraft carrier. Our guest is Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) Airman Anthony Natola-Fristed of Anacortes, a crewmember on the USS Theodore Roosevelt. And Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz joins us with her take on Trump administration moves to open ANWAR to oil and gas drilling and wildfire danger in our state...
Host John Kruse has an in-depth conversation with Washington State's Commissioner of Public Lands, Hilary Franz. Topics include efforts to fund wildfire prevention on a long term basis. The challenges of removing derelict vessels from Washington's waterways with limited funding. Outdoor recreation on Washington Dept. of Natural Resource lands and the economic impact of geoducks! Air Date - March 14, 2020 http://dnr.wa.gov http://northwesternoutdoors.com
Republicans and Democrats don't often agree. Environmental policy is no exception, especially climate policy. The response to the Green New Deal highlighted the clear divisions between the parties. Most Democratic leaders stood behind it, while most Republicans ridiculed it. The partisanship softens some when looking at the voting public. But while the gap is closing, surveys show that Democrats across the country still support action on climate change in greater numbers than Republicans do. So, is there a path forward for bipartisan environmental policy? For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we discuss what it might take to get us there by asking leaders with environmental expertise from both parties, including former congressman and RepublicEn founder Bon Inglis, former Washington state gubernatorial candidate Bill Bryant and Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019, at Seattle University for the Crosscut Festival.
There's no question that wildfires have been getting worse. They're bigger, stronger, and more destructive than ever before, and the fire season is longer than ever before, too. This is especially true in the western states. Last year, for instance, California experienced the deadliest wildfire in state history, killing at least 85 people, destroying fourteen thousand homes and burning an area the size of Chicago. The Pacific Northwest has escaped the height of its fire season without any major events, but there are long-term trends point toward more big fire seasons in the future. Crosscut gathered a panel of leaders — Including former Cal Fire chief Ken Pimlott, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz and the natural resources director for the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, Cody Desautel — to discuss what can be done to manage this new normal. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019, at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.
Washington Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz says all signs point to an extremely serious wildfire season, with the state facing more risk than wildfire-prone California. "I have firefighters who've fought for 40 years who've said 'I've never seen this in my entire life,'" Franz tells Civic Cocktail host Joni Balter. For now, she's focused on fires, but we ask if she's also considering a run for governor. And, it's been 50 years since the Stonewall riots marked the start of the modern LGBTQ movement. Today, the fight for civil rights continues. Former Seattle Deputy Mayor Anne Levinson says in the past few years there's been a ceaseless, relentless attack on the LGBTQ community. And Tobi Hill-Meyer, co-executive director of the Gender Justice League says transgender women of color are especially vulnerable and frequently the target of violence.
Washington state lost 440,000 acres in almost two thousand wildfires last year﹣a record high. Once the most beautiful month in Washington’s year, August is now marred by hazy, smoky skies that drive everyone indoors while our small and underfunded team of wildland firefighters work around the clock to save lives, property, and public lands. It’s not just a Washington problem, either: wildfires are burning more acreage than ever before across the country. Luckily, this is a problem we can actually do something about! In this bonus episode, Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz sits down with Nick to explain the ins and outs of forest health, fighting for funding to give wildfire fighters the resources they need, and her fleet of Vietnam-era helicopters. Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz protects and manages nearly six million acres of public lands in Washington. She is leading the push to make Washington’s lands more resilient in the face of climate change, and as the leader of the state’s largest wildfire fighting force, she has pushed for new strategies, innovations, and resources to protect communities. Commissioner Franz’s 20-year Forest Health Strategic Plan will make more than one million acres of forest healthier and more resistant to wildfires. Twitter: @Hilary_FranzCPL HuffPost: Controlled Burns Lower Wildfire Risks. These Western States Struggle To Set More Of Them. http://bit.ly/huffpowildfire Crosscut: A bold plan to curb wildfires, create jobs and build affordable housing http://bit.ly/CrosscutDNRplan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz is on to talk about just that; Public Lands!We start out talking about the 20 year forest health plan- https://www.dnr.wa.gov/ForestHealthPlanThe Commissioner was excited to discuss Trailhead Direct- https://trailheaddirect.orgI asked about the Bellingham to Baker proposal- https://washingtondnr.wordpress.com/recreation-and-rural-communities/In bringing economy to rural communities she talks about her Rural Economical Development Initiative- https://www.dnr.wa.gov/news/commissioner-public-lands-announces-rural-communities-partnership-initiativeCarpool Karaoke- https://www.facebook.com/CommissionerHilaryFranz/videos/2510870172317125/Volunteer opportunities- https://www.dnr.wa.gov/volunteerRecreate- https://www.dnr.wa.gov/recreationInteractive recreation map- https://www.dnr.wa.gov/goFacebook- https://www.facebook.com/CommissionerHilaryFranz/DNR Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/WashDNR/Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/commissionerhilaryfranz/