Hazel grew up in the woods of Winterport, Maine, choosing a tent in the forest as her bedroom five months out of the year—from age 9 until she left for college at 18. She co-founded Maine Outdoor School, L3C in 2016 and has produced and co-written a weekly 5-minute radio show about the outdoors for WERU-FM called The Nature of Phenology since 2018. Hazel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Ecology from College of the Atlantic and a Professional Science Master’s degree in Resource Management and Conservation from Antioch University New England. Additionally, she is a Registered Maine Guide and Wilderness First Responder.