'Southern 2021

Roald Hazelhoff
office hours
Jay
McShann
Roald Hazelhoff has a proper office in the Southern Environmental
Center – right above the center’s award-winning interactive museum –
but we consider the Hugh Kaul EcoScape his real office.
If you walk or drive toward the west end of campus, passing the
residence halls, the lake, and then the intermural fields, you’ll find the
four-acre oasis of native plants and recycled art. The EcoScape garden
and outdoor classroom celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021 and is
one example of Hazelhoff’s work to make BSC a more sustainable and
beautiful place.
A Holland native and past resident of Japan and Hong Kong,
Hazelhoff has lived in Birmingham since 1988, when he joined BSC
as an assistant professor of political science. It didn’t take long to push
students outdoors.
“I became feared on campus because there was no chance of passing
if you didn’t help plant trees,” he says.
As quickly as Hazelhoff spearheaded environmental efforts on
campus, his work was recognized at the national level. The College
received the Point of Light Award on Earth Day in 1990 from President
George H.W. Bush, who visited campus to honor students, faculty,
and staff for their work to beautify surrounding neighborhoods and
educate young students in the community.
Hazelhoff formally transitioned to his current role in 1992 as
founder and director of the Southern Environmental Center, and
he’s made the entire campus greener. Alongside the Hess Center and
the Department of Biology, he helped found the major and minor
in environmental science; he made campus buildings more energy
efficient; with the help of BSC students, he planted more than 1,000
trees; and he beautified areas across campus, including the corner
that is now the EcoScape and the landscaping around Clay C. Long
Alumni Plaza.
“Now, you have a pedestrian-friendly campus and a reason to be
outside,” Hazelhoff says. “The Residence Quad is connected to the
Academic Quad. And by virtue of the lake, we are connected to the
recreational components.”
In the EcoScape, you’ll find lush greens, native plants, edible plants
– like figs and different herbs, depending on the time of year – and
maybe a few critters. Hazelhoff recently spotted a red-tailed hawk
surrounded by crows.
“There’s always something to see and color throughout the year,”
he says. “For fall, you can look for asters that come out, and the crepe
myrtles are always beautiful in early fall. As some of the vegetation
dies back, you discover and appreciate the things that were once
obscured. You can see owls, hawks, rabbits, and our fox family.”
Hazelhoff welcomes everyone to the EcoScape – students, faculty
and their classes, and the Birmingham community. All Southern
Environmental Center programs are designed for visitors to learn about
and enjoy the environment.
“We’ve been given space on campus to do some creative things that
benefited the campus as well as the community,” he says.
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