Driving Sustainable Local Economic Development while Ensuring Public Lands are Healthy and Productive

As the Commissioner of Public Lands, Hilary Franz, leads the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, one of only five elected lands commissioners across the United States. She heads the state’s wildfire fighting force and manages nearly 6 million acres of public lands – from coastal waters and aquatic reserves, to working forests and farms, commercial developments, and unparalleled recreation areas. She is also currently a Candidate for Governor of Washington State.

With unwavering commitment to all vital aspects of sustainability – across key environmental, social and economic dimensions – Commissioner Franz joins the SB community to share valuable lessons on win-win partnership-centric solutions that generate hundreds of millions of dollars for schools and public services off of sustainable land management.