Lola’s Dream -- The Lola Boyd Wildlife Education Area

by Mike Roden, Coordinator, Alabama Mountains, Rivers and Valleys RC&D Council, Decatur, AL

Ms. Lola Boyd was an educator in the Arab city schools for over 40 years. She has enjoyed a long time of retirement, living in her family's homeplace across the road from Arab High School. She especially enjoys watching the birds, squirrels, and rabbits as they fed and nest on her property.

When in her mid-nineties, Ms. Lola contacted Jerrel Smalley, Alabama Mountains, Rivers and Valleys RC&D Council Board Member for Marshall County. Lola explained to Jerrel her desire to keep her once rural farm land, from being surrounded by urban sub-divisions.

From Lola’s dream, the RC&D Council, the Marshall County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), the Arab Board of Education, and the City of Arab made the dream into a reality.

The Lola Boyd Wildlife Education Area was established and permanently preserves a track of land in the residential area across the highway from the High School.  The land is developed to educate youth and homeowners on the benefits of urban forests including environmental and wildlife studies, as well as other uses.

Mrs. Boyd was committed to setting aside this valuable subdivision property so children can have environmental education opportunities and to demonstrate to developers and city leaders the value of permanent wild/forest lands.  It was important that the area be handicapped accessible so that all children and adults could enjoy Lola’s Dream.

This project was funded by support from Congressman Robert Aderholt, the City of Arab, the AMRV-RC&D, and the Marshall County SWCD. Grant funds were also made available from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Education funds and the State Association of RC&D Councils.

We give special thanks and acknowledgement to Jerrel Smalley.  Without Jerrel’s tireless dedication, the Lola Boyd Wildlife Education Area would not be possible.

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