Marty Schulman

Martin David Schulman (born March 15, 1944 in Birmingham; died July 20, 2020) was a naturalist and mining historian who led popular group hikes at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve.

Schulman was the son of Star Hardware owner Eddie Schulman and his wife, Molly Krantz. He grew up in Homewood's Hollywood subdivision and attended Shades Valley High School.

Schulman studied at Purdue University, New York University, and the University of Texas. He began as a metallurgy major and later focusing on philosophy. After leaving school he returned to the family hardware business as a purchasing agent and began collecting technical knowledge of the Birmingham District's mining and iron-making industry. He rented a house in the woods and spent many days hiking or floating on area rivers. He became a champion of Alabama's biodiversity, working to document and preserve rare species and their environments.

Schulman married Nan Mullins in 1977 and moved to Mountain Brook. After they divorced, he bought their house from her, harboring hundreds of plants, several pets, and various other guests. Having sold Star Hardware in 1983 he worked as a computer consultant and served on the board of directors for Workshops Inc., including several terms as board president. He later joined the staff of the Homewood Public Library.

He was remarried, to the former Marcia Cameron, on February 3, 1983. They divorced in 1988.

Schulman suffered a heart attack in March 1995 and suffered continually from cardiac pain. He was later diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a double masectomy.

In 2001 Schulman began hosting regular mining history tours at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve and also volunteered to maintain trails and eradicate invasive plants. The Alabama Environmental Council named him "Educator of the Year" in 2008, the Alabama Rivers Alliance presented him with their James Lowery Service Award in 2015, and Alabama Water Watch gave him their Biodiversity Guardian Award, now named in his honor, in 2016. He was also an active member of the Alabama Wildflower Society, the Friends of Village Creek, and the American Chestnut Society.

Schulman died from cancer in hospice care in 2020. His remains were donated to medical science.

External links

• Marty Schulman at Findagrave.com