Kiirsti Owen, PhD, RPBio

Kiirsti is a Registered Professional Biologist (RPBio) with more than 10 years of experience in applied conservation, ecological research, and collaborative stakeholder engagement across diverse ecosystems in British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, and internationally. Kiirsti holds a PhD in wildlife habitat management in collaboration with Ducks Unlimited Canada, investigating how wetland birds use human-created landscapes in Atlantic Canada and their response to habitat manipulation. As part of her doctorate, she also led qualitative research on stakeholder perceptions of landscape change on the Chignecto Isthmus. Kiirsti earned a Master of Science degree from the University of Windsor, which focused on bird community response to regenerating tropical dry forests in Costa Rica. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in Ecological Restoration from the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

Kiirsti has proven expertise in designing and managing field-based monitoring programs, modelling wildlife responses to environmental change, and communicating science to diverse audiences. She is committed to advancing evidence-based, ecologically sound conservation and management strategies that integrate social perspectives for long-term impact.

Outside of work, Kiirsti serves on the Board of Directors for the BC Chapter of The Wildlife Society and is a reviewer for eBird. She spends as much time as possible outdoors where she enjoys birding, hiking, and trail running