# The Beginnings of the Lasalle Bioswale
A bioswale collects stormwater runoff from roads, rooftops, and parking lots and uses soil and plants to remove pollution before the water reaches the St. Johns River. St. Johns Riverkeeper and numerous partners collaborated to install the City of Jacksonville’s first bioswale along Lasalle Street in front of the San Marco Library in 2012. Join us this June to learn how and why it was installed, the challenges confronted along the way, and why these type of green infrastructure projects are beneficial for our river and our communities.
History Chat
Join us for a special History Chat presentation and audience Q&A with Jimmy Orth from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 7, at the San Marco Branch Library. Note: This free public program is part of a year-long celebration of this San Marco Branch Library's 75th anniversary.
About Your Guest Speaker
A native of Jacksonville, Jimmy Orth has extensive experience working on environmental issues in Northeast Florida for nearly 35 years. He previously served for over eight years as an executive committee member and as chairman for the Northeast Florida group of the Sierra Club and founded a local chapter of Inner City Outings, a program that provided outdoor experiences for urban youth. He was hired as the Executive Director of St. Johns Riverkeeper in February of 2004. He received his undergraduate degree in Marketing from Florida State University, and his master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of North Florida.
For his many contributions to the St. Johns River and the local community, Jimmy has received the Volunteer Jacksonville Nature of Caring Award, Sierra Club Florida Chapter Pine Tree Award, Keep Jacksonville Beautiful Jake Godbold Award, and the Chrisi P. Veleta Environmental Award from the Jacksonville Environmental Protection Board. He currently also serves as the Chair of the Jacksonville Climate Coalition Steering Committee.
Launched in 2000 as an independent watchdog group to hold regulatory agencies and polluters accountable, St. Johns Riverkeeper is a community-supported nonprofit dedicated to defending and protecting the St. Johns River and its watershed. Now, 25 years later, these concerned local citizen advocates continue to provide the St. Johns with a powerful voice.
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San Marco Memories: Celebrating 75 Years
Jacksonville Public Library is commemorating the 75th anniversary of San Marco Branch Library with a Call for Memories and a series of public programs focused on the past, present and future of the neighborhood. This year-long celebration of the San Marco community, its residents and their library officially kicked off in January! But you can donate your family's photos and contribute your library stories to the Memories project all year long.
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