Marie Bostick
TESTIMONIAL
Marie Bostick
Executive Director
Land Trust of North Alabamag
Marie Bostick has lived in the Huntsville area since childhood. She joined the Land Trust of North Alabama in 2014 as Executive Director. She previously worked for the City of Huntsville as Manager of Planning and Zoning Administration for 26 years.
Marie is an avid preservationist and was instrumental in creating the Hays Nature Preserve, Goldsmith Schiffman Wildlife Sanctuary, Wade Mountain Preserve and greenway development in the city.
Q: Where do you live?
Madison County
Q: Where are you from and how did you get to the Redstone region?
While not a true native of the region, my family moved to Huntsville when I was 10 years old from south Alabama. Since then, I’ve lived in Huntsville/Madison County, except when I was in college at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
Q: What is an ideal weekend for you? OR Name your three favorite things about living in the Redstone Region.
An ideal weekend for me starts by getting out early to Hays Nature Preserve to walk the paths and listen for birds. Walking through the floodplain of the Flint River you experience a variety of vegetation, which creates a wonderful birding area. Hays Nature Preserve is one of the three designated Alabama Birding sites within the City of Huntsville. Whether walking the paved greenway along Big Cove Creek and the Flint River or the natural paths throughout the preserve to experience the tupelo swamp, it’s a relaxing and beautiful place to start a day.
After spending the morning outside, I’ll head downtown for a great lunch at The Poppy and Parliament, nothing like their fish and chips! Rested after lunch, it’s time for a short stroll around Big Spring Park. It’s always fun to watch the young families with kids exploring the park and particularly their fascination with all the koi in the lake.
Then to round out the afternoon, I’ll run over to Lowe Mill Arts and Entertainment to see what fun things the makers are making. You never know what you’ll find at the artists studios, but it is always fascinating to watch them work and marvel at the pieces they create.
With a busy day behind me, I’ll head out to Toyota Field to watch a Trash Pandas baseball game and cheer for the home team. I got hooked on minor league baseball several years ago, enjoying both the entertainment and competition value it provides.
The next morning is recharge time for me. Sitting on my back porch, again listening to the birds, watching the cattle graze. I have a small farm, so Sunday morning is “enjoy the farm time” for me. After lunch, I’ll head to the Market at Mid-City and get some fresh vegetables or canned goodies! I always love seeing what vendors are there and what veggies are coming in at that time. With a delicious stash ready for the week, I’ll head back to the farm!
Q: What is one thing you would like Space Command personnel to know about the region?
If you’re interested in an active outdoor lifestyle, this region offers you a myriad of close to home opportunities to explore. Whether you prefer strenuous, multi-mile hikes, easy greenway strolls, mountain biking, bringing your horse for a trot in the woods, or paddling a river you can find it your place here. Opportunities abound for solitary activities, as well as guided, group activities. And when you’re just getting started and want to learn and discover more about the environment around you, naturalist and interpretive workshops and programs are offered by the Land Trust of North Alabama, Huntsville Botanical Garden, Monte Sano and Guntersville State Parks, Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, and Wild Ones of North Alabama, just to name a few.