Jupiter Narrows Restoration Begins, Bringing New Life to Eroding Mangrove Islands

JUPITER, Fla. — A years-long community effort to save one of the Jupiter area's most recognizable stretches of water is officially moving from planning to construction.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held August 19 for the restoration of three badly eroded mangrove islands in the Jupiter Narrows, the stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway running north from Cato's Bridge toward Coral Cove Park.

The project is being led by the nonprofit Jupiter Narrows Conservation Alliance (JNCA) and is designed to reverse decades of erosion while creating conditions for mangroves and seagrass to recover.

What happened to the islands?

For longtime residents, the change has been dramatic.

The islands were once covered by thick mangroves, but years of erosion and wave action have steadily eaten away at them. JNCA says coastal erosion, changes to historic waterways, increased boat traffic and development have all placed pressure on the area's mangrove and seagrass habitat.

Today, portions of the islands that were once covered with mangroves have disappeared entirely.

"If we don't do something now, they'll be gone," JNCA's Sue Panella told WPTV at the groundbreaking.

How the restoration will work

Rather than simply planting new mangroves and hoping they survive, the project is intended to address one of the underlying problems: wave energy.

Taylor Engineering developed plans calling for natural limestone breakwaters near the remaining islands. The structures are intended to reduce wave energy, stabilize sediment and protect mangrove roots, creating calmer conditions where mangroves and seagrass can recover.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection issued a permit for the breakwaters and additional mangrove planting in March, followed by an environmental permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in May.

Construction of the breakwaters is expected to take place over the coming months. The vegetation itself will take considerably longer to recover.

"It's going to take years for the vegetation to come back the way it was a long time ago," J.P. Brooker of Ocean Conservancy told WPTV.

The Andrew "Red" Harris Islands

The restoration also carries special meaning for a Jupiter family.

The three islands are being named the Andrew "Red" Harris Islands, honoring Jupiter native Andrew "Red" Harris, who was struck and killed by a boat while snorkeling in 2014.

Harris grew up around Jupiter's waterways and loved fishing, diving and being on the water. His family later created the Andrew "Red" Harris Foundation, which has supported marine conservation projects in the area.

Florida lawmakers unanimously approved legislation naming the islands in his memory, and Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the measure into law in April. The naming became effective July 1, 2026.

The Andrew "Red" Harris Foundation has also pledged $175,000 toward the Jupiter Narrows effort.

A community project years in the making

What makes the restoration particularly notable is how much of it grew from a local grassroots effort.

The movement began after residents became increasingly concerned about the disappearance of mangroves in the Narrows. JNCA was formally established as a nonprofit in 2024 and has since built partnerships with local governments, environmental organizations, scientists, businesses and residents.

Supporters include the Village of Tequesta, Town of Jupiter, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Ocean Conservancy, Andrew "Red" Harris Foundation, Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management and other environmental and community organizations.

The project has also attracted public funding. Florida's 2026 budget included $260,000 for the Andrew "Red" Harris Mangrove Islands restoration, while the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida awarded JNCA another $51,202 grant for the next phase of mangrove and seagrass restoration.

Why it matters

Mangroves are much more than scenery.

Their root systems provide habitat for juvenile fish and other marine life, help stabilize shorelines and create important connections between land and water. Seagrass beds surrounding the islands are another critical part of the local marine ecosystem.

The restoration is therefore about more than rebuilding three small islands. It is an attempt to protect a piece of the Jupiter-area waterways that residents, boaters, anglers and wildlife have depended on for generations.