Hilary Franz, the former Commissioner of Public Lands for the state of Washington, joins The Stump to discuss her time leading the Department of Natural Resources. Hilary was elected to the Office of Commissioner in 2016 and served from January 2017 to January 2025. During this time, she worked on a variety of issues, from forest health and wildfire prevention and suppression to completing the Long Term Conservation Strategy for the Marbled Murrelet on DNR-managed state trust lands and overseeing the Forest Practices program, and advocating in the state legislature for a variety of initiatives from carbon to aquatics. Hilary did not run for re-election in 2024 and is taking some time to reenergize.

If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast and want to hear more from Hilary, please like this episode and drop us a comment on one of our social media platforms.

To learn more about DNR, you can visit https://dnr.wa.gov

To learn more about The Stump please visit https://thestump.io

Blake Manley of Manley Jobs joins The Stump in this episode to discuss his work and advocacy for workforce development in the forestry sector. Widely known for his Manley Jobs videos on YouTube, he has been featured on Fox and Friends and many other media outlets. He started this endeavor in 2020 when he was a teacher at Sweet Home High School in Oregon. Remote learning led to the need to find a new way to engage with students.

You can connect with Blake through the following links:

YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@Manleyjobs

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/manleyjobs

TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@manleyjobs2

Season 2 is finally here.

In this episode of The Stump, Jim Petersen joins us. Jim is a co-founder of the non-profit Evergreen Foundation and publisher of Evergreen, the Foundation’s periodic journal.

The Mission of the Evergreen Foundation is "Our mission is to advance public understanding and support for science-based forestry and forest policy by providing clear and concise facts and commentary. We endorse long term, active forest management for healthy forests and productive communities. Our approach is to engage opinion leaders, decision-makers, community leaders, and community members in the discussion and support of healthy, productive, resilient forests."

Listen in on how Jim got involved in this project and his thoughts about the need for sustainable forest management.

You can support Jim's work by subscribing to the magazine or donating to the foundation. Links can be found on the website linked below.

Connect with Evergreen and Jim :

Website:https://evergreenmagazine.com/

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EvergreenMagazine

X:https://x.com/evergreen_fnd

Ken Bevis is a Stewardship Fish and Wildlife Biologist with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. A self-proclaimed “nature troubadour”, he is also a musician known for using songs to tell stories and educate on forestry and wildlife management.

Ken joins The Stump to discuss his career, the work he does with small forest landowners, and his music. Ken has over thirty years of experience in forestry and wildlife management. Over that time, he worked for the Virginia Division of Forestry, the US Forest Service, and the Yakama Indian Nation. Much of that work was related to the Northern Spotted Owl.

Today, he works for the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and travels the state to teach landowners how to improve wildlife habitats on their properties. Much of his work is focused on the more fire-prone areas of Eastern Washington. He has a wealth of knowledge and energy, and his trusty guitar is usually found nearby.

To contact or to learn more about Ken’s work and music, please visit:

Ken.Bevis@dnr.wa.gov

WA DNR Small Forest Landowner Office (SFLO): https://www.dnr.wa.gov/sflo

WA DNR Small Forest Landowner Assistance Portal: https://www.dnr.wa.gov/LandownerAssistancePortal

Ken’s Music and Shows: https://kenbevis.com/

krbevis@methownet.com

Oak Rankin, Executive Director of Glacier Peak Institute, joins The Stump in this episode. Also referred to as GPI, the organization is based in Darrington, Washington. Volunteers and community organizations formed the Darrington Youth Outdoor STEM Pilot Project after the deadly 2014 Oso Landslide. This grew into the Glacier Peak Institute.

Today, GPI continues to work with youth through their "innovative, action-based education programs integrating Science, Technology, recreation, Engineering, art, Mathematics, and skill-building." A program they refer to as STrEaMs.

Oak and I discuss GPI and the challenges and opportunities that rural natural resource-dependent communities like Darington face. Like many Pacific Northwest communities, Darrington, was negatively impacted by the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) adopted in 1994. The NWFP brought significant socio-economic harm to these communities, many of which are still trying to recover today. Programs like Oak's are a critical tool for providing education, mental health support, and a sense of future for many of the youth they work with.

You can connect with Oak and the Glacier Peak Institute via the links below:

Website: https://www.glacierpeakinstitute.org/

Email: info@glacierpeakinstitute.org

Mail: PO Box 225 Darrington, WA 98241

Phone: (360) 436 6445

Bennett Bull from Tree Management Plus joins us on this episode of The Stump.

Tree Management Plus (TMP) has provided logging, reforestation, and other forest management services to landowners for over 45 years. Initially started by Bennett's grandfather, Tom Fox, Bennett, and his brother Camden are continuing the family tradition of being a resource for landowners, especially small forest landowners in the Pacific Northwest.

Commercial thinning using cut-to-length harvesting equipment has been one of the key services TMP provides to family tree farmers. Reforestation and seedling sales are other essential services they can provide to landowners. Large private landowners typically operate at a scale that small tree farmers can't compete with. So, having access to a company like Tree Management Plus can be crucial in managing small forest landowners' properties.

Having young owner-operators like Bennett and Camden take over and enter the logging sector is critical to maintaining working forests on the Pacific Northwest's landscape.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennett-bull-507455185/ Website: https://www.treemanagementplus.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TreeManagementPlus/

Email: treemanagementplus@toledotel.com

Phone: 360-978-4305

In this episode of The Stump, Rod Fleck joins us. Rod is the City Attorney and City Planner for the City of Forks, Washington.

There is a lot more to Forks than vampires and rain. Rod and I talk about his history with the city and his engagement with the management of trust lands by the Department of Natural Resources. While Forks is not a direct recipient of revenue from managing these trust lands, they have been an integral part of Forks and the “West End” of Clallam County. The Parks and Recreation District, the Quillayute Valley School District (schools serving Forks and the surrounding area), the local hospital, and the fire district are among the beneficiaries of trust land management in the area. Not to mention the importance of the jobs that accompany active forest management. Because of this, for nearly 30 years, Rod has been a strong advocate for Forks when it comes to DNR management. Rod is also a history teacher at the local branch of Peninsula College. Not to mention a wealth of knowledge and history of the policy work regarding trust lands in Clallam County and across much of the state.

If you are in Forks, make sure to stop by the visitor center and the Forks Timber Museum located on the south end of town.

We did have a few technical difficulties during the recording of this episode. So please excuse the few audio glitches where an unstable internet connection got the better of us. And if you are watching it on YouTube, we lost video connection with Forks partway through.

City of Forks website: https://forkswashington.org/

Forks Chamber of Commerce website: https://forkswa.com/

In this episode of The Stump, Jay McLaughlin joins us. Jay is the Executive Director of Mt. Adams Resource Stewards (MARS). They are a non-profit in Washington state whose mission is "to promote sustainable connections between the land, local economies, and rural communities in the Mt. Adams Region." We chat about Jay's career, MARS's work, and future opportunities. In addition to managing a community forest in the Glenwood, Washington, area, MARS provides forest restoration work for Federal land managers, education, and workforce development.

You can learn more about Mt. Adams Resource Stewards at:

Website: https://www.mtadamsstewards.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mtadamsstewards

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mtadamsresourcestewards/

Email: info@mtadamsstewards.org

You can also contact Jay directly at jay@mtadamsstewards.org