Jupiter Inlet Natural Area

COOPERATIVE CONSERVATION CASE STUDY

Where History, Coast Guard Operations and Nature Meet

Location: Southeastern Region: Florida

Project Summary: BLM works with federal, county, municipal, educational and non-profit groups to manage a key regional landmark in northern Palm Beach County.

Students testing a net that they designed to monitor ﬁsh entering the new lagoon built by the Bureau of Land Management

Resource Challenge

Jupiter Inlet Natural Area, located in Palm Beach County, Florida, is a prime attraction for two cities and thousands of visitors. Rich in history, it has been used for a lighthouse and by the military since the 1850’s. Jupiter Lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the site includes a still-active U.S. Coast Guard facility. Jupiter Inlet is also rich in natural resources, an oasis in an increasingly-urban environment. On the County’s list of Environmentally Sensitive Lands, it supports 17 special status species, including four Federally-listed species.

After the Coast Guard declared some of the property surplus, the Jupiter Inlet partnership formed to restore the Natural Area. Partners decided to take a collaborative approach to restoration because of intermingled administrative boundaries and their varying missions.

Examples of Key Partners

USDI Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Palm Beach County, U.S. Coast Guard, Town of Jupiter, Village of Tequesta, Loxahatchee River Historical Society, Jupiter High School Environmental Research and Field Studies Academy.

Results and Accomplishments

Partnership activities:

Restored the lighthouse on U.S. Coast Guard-administered land, using $855,000 acquired by the Loxahatchee River Historical Society and administered by the town. The town invested another $750,000 to renovate Jupiter Lighthouse Park.
Constructed an award-winning wetland, removing thousands of invasive trees; partners conduct annual sweeps to suppress regrowth of invasive plants.
Matched every BLM dollar spent at the Jupiter Inlet Natural Area with local funds.
Completed two prescribed burns to reduce fuel loads and improve wildlife habitat. Seven organizations contributed funding, expertise, and equipment.
Established an outdoor classroom and volunteer program in cooperation with Jupiter High School. Students monitor burn plots, sample ﬁsh, and supply labor for events. Volunteers have donated more than 3,000 hours during the last ten years.
Responding quickly after last year’s hurricanes, volunteers cleared debris and collected cones to reestablish decimated sand pine forests.

As testament to the dedication and support of local communities, the USDI presented the town with a patent for Jupiter Lighthouse Park in 2004. The Partnership has received several awards: the BLM Legacy of the Land and the BLM Four C’s award; in 2004, Juniper High School received a Take Pride in America award for its volunteerism. The site has been selected for the Hands on the Land program, a web-based network of outdoor classrooms across the country.

Innovation/Highlight

Strong community involvement makes it possible to effectively manage an historic site, active Coast Guard facility, and sensitive habitats on a 128-acre natural area.

Project Contact

Richard Walesky
Director
Palm Beach County Environmental Resources Management

561-233-2400
rwalesky@co.palm-beach.fl.us

Website:

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