A celebration of the life of environmentalist and river steward Dr. James Earhart is set for Saturday, Oct. 28, with a ceremony on the banks of the Rio Grande at 11 a.m. at Tres Laredos Park.
The much-esteemed biologist was a driving force in fomenting community-wide awareness and stewardship of the middle reach of the Río Grande. He was a pivot upon which City government moved to write the Haz-Mat Ordinance, establish the Environmental Services Dept., and implement measures to protect the green spaces, wetlands, tributaries, and wildlife habitat of the riparian ecosystem.
The tribute is hosted by the Río Grande International Study Center (RGISC), which Dr. Earhart co-founded in 1994 with a handful of like-minded colleagues at Laredo Community College. The organization, always a voice for the river – the City’s only source of drinking water – has grown into the most effective, organized, well-staffed and vocal advocate for the welfare of the Río Grande.
Also participating in the riverside ceremony are the City of Laredo, the Arturo T. Benavides American Legion Post 59, and the Martin High School Tiger Battalion.
Dr. Earhart will be remembered by his friends at Saturday morning’s tribute and also by those arriving at Tres Laredos Park in a flotilla of kayaks and canoes in a guided river paddle that launched at 7:30 a.m. at Markley Lane and Anna Avenue.
For further information, contact RGISC at (956) 718-1063 or ashley@rgisc.org.
