When Franz returned to Colorado from Alaska in 1975, he committed to stewardship of wild places in this state. With a B.S. from Colorado State University, Franz has a background in natural resource management as well as 10 years teaching and coaching at Colorado Rocky Mountain School. He owns and operates Blue Heron Forge. Previously a member of the Pitkin County Open Space And Trails Board, Franz co-founded Colorado Wild Public Lands to address a critical link in protecting public lands – the federal land exchange process.