By james art 
Today, the Alabama Environmental Council (AEC)—Alabama’s oldest nonprofit conservation organization—announced that it will become the new fiscal sponsor of the Southern Ecology Center (SEC), an environmental education and conservation program formerly housed at Birmingham-Southern College (BSC).
Read on to learn about this exciting partnership and what’s next for both organizations.
New home for Southern Environmental Center
Founded in the late 1980s as the Birmingham Southern Conservancy, the Southern Environmental Center (SEC) is a non-profit environmental education and conservation organization dedicated to teaching people of all ages how they can protect and improve the environment environment.
The SEC’s former home at Birmingham-Southern College was the largest educational facility of its kind in the state, with four unique facilities on campus, including a three-story interactive museum and the Hugh Kaul Ecoscape—a four-acre living laboratory featuring lush pollinators and sensors gardens that rely on natural irrigation.
In fact, the SEC’s EcoScape program is nationally recognized as a model for urban revitalization; dozens of EcoScapes have been built around Birmingham, ranging from small one-acre gardens to part of the 500+ acre Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.
After Birmingham-Southern College closes in May 2024, Roald Hazelhoff — director of the SEC — met with the AEC to discuss future plans for the center and its new environmental education program, the Birmingham Urban Watershed STEMM Initiative (BUWSI).
“I am extremely grateful to the AEC for agreeing to host our centers’ community programs. While the closing of BSC is a tremendous loss to the community, this merger will allow our STEMM programs for Birmingham City Schools to continue, and indeed expand.”
Roald Hasselhoff, Director of Education and Program Manager, AEC
Fun Fact: It only makes sense that the two organizations would come together since the AEC helped start the SEC in the late 1980s!
Exciting changes and new staff for the Alabama Environmental Council
The AEC has announced two exciting additions to its staff to further the mission of the SEC.
- Roald Hasselhoff will join AEC as Director of Education and Program Manager. Roald brings over thirty years of experience as SEC Executive Director, where he built support and awareness for modeling green initiatives as an outstanding example of conservation and education.
- Sarah Randolph will join AEC as Program Coordinator. Sarah has a diverse background in the non-governmental and private sector and will focus on existing AEC initiatives as well as assisting Roald with educational programs from SEC and BUWSI.
“I’m extremely excited about this new partnership, programming and (finally)—staff! I am confident that this will provide sustainable growth for our organization, necessary educational resources for our children, while building more environmentally healthy and sustainable communities in Alabama.”
Kate Cosnahan, AEC President
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