Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
Kirsten Hazler at Cadillac Mountain in Maine.Kirsten Hazler’s office has more computers than most at DCR, two with another in the closet and all with a substantial battery backup. A rogue power outage won’t put a dent in the serious computing required to layer numerous environmental factors on a landscape, predict what species might call an area home, and predict if that home would be in danger of development in the future. Geospatial products, such as the Development Vulnerability Model, help DCR and partners to prioritize conservation sites needing protections.
Kirsten started with DCR in 2006 and initially spent many hours in the field working on vegetation mapping and field data collection. But her impressive geospatial skills and love for maps have transitioned her to do more heavy GIS modeling and made her a valuable asset at headquarters in Richmond. “I knew DCR was the right place for me. It’s filled with great people, and I believe in the mission,” Kirsten notes. “Over the years, the position has afforded me lots of flexibility, and I’m always learning new things and developing new skills. I am able to flex my creativity, and there is definitely no stagnation.”
In addition to working on conservation planning and species distribution models, Kirsten developed an algorithm for automating the delineation of conservation site boundaries, and her passion for conservation drives its continual improvement.
During Kirsten’s years at North Carolina State University, where she received a master’s, and the University of Georgia , where she earned a doctorate, she spent many hours tracking birds and their nesting habits. She still has a love for recreational birding. However she rarely gets in the field to observe them as part of her workday except for special events such as The Nature Conservancy’s Virginia BirdBlitz.
Kirsten spent her youth in Vienna, Austria, where she found an early love for the outdoors and conservation. She returned to the states to pursue her education in environmental studies at Williams College. She enjoys hiking and notes Old Rag as one of her favorites in Virginia. She also enjoys inspiring the next generation of conservation and GIS professionals and has taught introductory GIS courses as an adjunct professor at Randolph-Macon College and the University of Richmond.
In addition to her scientific pursuits, Kirsten is an avid musician who sings, plays guitar and writes her own songs. She performs regularly across the state.
