This year, Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans is more than football. It’s also a sustainability effort in the Big Easy and the surrounding areas. Several conservation and sustainability initiatives will leave a green legacy in the city leading up to the Super Bowl. The efforts include tree plantings and environmental restoration initiatives to address issues like land loss, storm damage, and urban beautification.

Coastal Forest Tree Planting and Wetlands Restoration

The Tchefuncte Lighthouse in Madisonville, Louisiana; Photo: Beau Runnels/Shutterstock

Five days before the Big Game, fifty volunteers will plant 600 tree saplings in Madisonville, Louisiana, to stabilize wetlands and protect the endangered Tchefuncte Lighthouse. This massive project is supposed to provide a buffer against storm surges. Pontchartrain Conservancy, NFL Green, the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, Verizon, and Entergy all teamed up to organize the project.

The lighthouse has stood at the mouth of the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville since 1873. Much like the coast of Louisiana, the land surrounding the lighthouse eroded and sank over time. Across from it is an existing tree planting with a success rate of 95% tree survival. Pontchartrain Conservancy, which also does scientific research, monitors it. The group will work in tandem with NFL Green for the Lighthouse planting, hoping to achieve similar results.

Coastal forests provide important wildlife habitats, water quality improvement, carbon storage, and economic opportunities.

Oyster Shell Installation 

Multiple organizations, including the NFL, the New Orleans Super Bowl LIX Host Committee, Special Ops Military Veterans, and area chefs, are putting 59 tons of bagged oyster shells in the water. Along with thousands of plugs of marsh grasses, the installation creates a living shoreline. Furthermore, it contributes to storm surge protection for inland communities.

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) Oyster Shell Recycling Program gets this huge boost on February 3, six days before the Super Bowl. In addition, the reef will provide a habitat for new oysters and other wildlife while slowing the rate of erosion.

Committed to Sustainability

Super Bowl LIX will be held at the Caesars Superdome in Louisiana; Photo: Marcus E Jones/Shutterstock

These greening projects are part of the NFL’s efforts to minimize the environmental impact of its biggest event while supporting local communities. In New Orleans, more than just the Super Bowl is happening. The city, its communities, and the NFL will leave a lasting legacy of conservation and sustainability following Super Bowl LIX.