NEW ORLEANS – Super Bowl LIX is set to bring more than just football excitement to New Orleans. As part of a commitment to sustainability and community impact, the event will leave behind a “green legacy” through a series of community greening projects designed to reduce the environmental footprint of the game while benefiting the greater New Orleans region. These efforts will include tree plantings and environmental restoration initiatives aimed at addressing issues like land loss, storm damage, and urban beautification.
Coastal Forest Tree Planting and Wetlands Restoration in Madisonville
On Feb. 4, fifty volunteers will plant 600 tree saplings to stabilize the wetlands and protect the historic lighthouse near the endangered Tchefuncte Lighthouse in Madisonville, Louisiana. This massive project will provide a buffer against storm surges. Organized in partnership with the Pontchartrain Conservancy, NFL Green, the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, Verizon, and Entergy, the project highlights the community’s dedication to preserving coastal ecosystems.
Since 1837, a lighthouse has stood at the mouth of the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville, where the river flows into Lake Pontchartrain. As with much of coastal Louisiana, the land around the lighthouse eroded and sank over the decades. Directly across from the Tchefuncte Lighthouse is an existing tree planting that has a success rate of 95% tree survival, aided by scientific research and monitoring by Pontchartrain Conservancy. Working in tandem with the Lighthouse planting, long term effects of the NFL Green initiative are predicted to achieve similar results.
Coastal forests provide important wildlife habitat, water quality improvement, carbon storage and economic opportunities including fishing, crawfishing, hunting, trapping, timber production and ecotourism. Swamp forests are highly resistant to wind damage, making them a sustainable storm protection feature on the landscape when they are properly connected to riverine processes.
Hardin Park Tree Planting and Neighborhood Cleanup
Greening initiatives will also take place on Feb. 1 with a community event at Hardin Park in New Orleans’ historic 7th Ward. From 2 to 4 p.m., volunteers will work to enhance the park by planting native trees around the playground to provide shade and cooling, installing park benches, and conducting a neighborhood cleanup. These improvements aim to beautify the park and create a more welcoming environment for the surrounding community.
The event will feature collaboration between NFL Green, the New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee, the New Orleans Saints, and various city departments, including Parks and Parkways and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. Additional project supporters include Councilman Eugene J. Green, Verizon, Entergy, Dow Chemical, and Venture Global.
FORCE BLUE Special Ops Veterans Join Forces to install 59 tons of oyster shells
The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) Oyster Shell Recycling Program will get a huge boost on Feb. 3 when a multitude of organizations will band together to help protect the coastline in Leeville. The CRCL will work with the National Football League, Special Ops Military Veterans, Chefs Brigade, the New Orleans Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, Lafourche Parish Government, Verizon, Entergy and area chefs to place fifty-nine tons of bagged oyster shells and thousands of plugs of marsh grasses in the water to create a living shoreline and contribute to storm surge protection for inland communities. The reef will provide habitat for new oysters and other wildlife and slow the rate of erosion.
A Commitment to Sustainability and Community
These greening projects reflect the NFL’s ongoing efforts to minimize the environmental impact of its marquee event while supporting local communities. By planting trees, restoring wetlands, and beautifying urban spaces, Super Bowl LIX will leave a tangible legacy that addresses both environmental and social needs in the New Orleans area.
As rising sea levels and natural disasters continue to threaten Louisiana’s coast, these initiatives are critical in demonstrating how partnerships between public and private organizations can contribute to meaningful environmental stewardship and community resilience.
