NEW ORLEANS (press release) – As Super Bowl LIX approaches, the NFL is kicking off a series of community greening initiatives aimed at leaving a lasting environmental legacy in the New Orleans area. The projects, spearheaded by NFL Green in collaboration with local organizations and corporate partners, will focus on tree planting, shoreline restoration, and habitat conservation.
The efforts will begin on Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. at 500 N. Norman C. Francis Parkway with a ceremonial passing of the “Golden Shovel” from the Las Vegas Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee to New Orleans. The event, marking the start of the greening initiatives, will take place on the Lafitte Greenway, where volunteers will plant 32 trees—one for each NFL team—along with students from Warren Easton Charter High School. The trees, including magnolia, oak and sycamore, will help enhance biodiversity, provide shade and aid in storm mitigation.
The NFL’s environmental focus extends beyond urban greening to coastal restoration. On Dec. 5 from 9 a.m.-noon at CRCL Headquarters, 6207 E. St. Bernard Highway, Violet, La., nearly 100 volunteers will gather to prepare 59 tons of oyster shells for a Super Bowl week reef-building project, part of a larger effort to protect the Louisiana coastline from erosion and storm damage. The shells, which will be used to create a living shoreline, will serve as a barrier against coastal land loss, a critical issue for South Louisiana, where wetlands are disappearing at one of the fastest rates in the world.
In addition to the tree planting and oyster shell project, the NFL Green initiative will support other local conservation efforts, including coastal forest creation in Madisonville and the restoration of raingardens on the Lafitte Greenway. Volunteers and partners like Verizon, Entergy, and Dow Chemical will work together to plant thousands of trees, restore habitats, and protect New Orleans’ vital natural resources.
“These projects represent the NFL’s commitment to sustainability and our role in helping communities thrive—both in the face of climate challenges and beyond,” said Jack Groh of NFL Green. “We’re excited to see these efforts take root and grow in New Orleans, leaving a green legacy for future generations.”
The NFL Green initiatives will culminate in Super Bowl week, with volunteers and special forces veterans from FORCE BLUE contributing to the creation of the oyster reef in Leeville, further protecting the region’s coastline and wildlife habitat.
