Football aside, Super Bowl is the perfect time to showcase the fragile Everglades | Opinion

When Super Bowl LIV is held on Feb. 2, at Hard Rock Stadium, it will be Miami’s record-breaking 11th Super Bowl. Our sunshine and beaches factor into what will bring tens of thousands of visitors to Miami to celebrate the big game. The Super Bowl is anticipated to generate more than $300 million in revenue for our economy and it will showcase our vibrant and diverse communities.

Miami’s beauty attracts people to live and play here. From the ocean to The Everglades, Miami-Dade’s economy is tied to water, with visitors spending almost $20 billion a year and supporting 280,000 jobs.

This is exactly why the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee (MSBHC) has selected the environment as a key component of its mission to support Super Bowl LIV.

Ocean to Everglades (O2E) is the MSBHC’s environmental program created in partnership with The Everglades Foundation, Ocean Conservancy and NFL Green. Through O2E, we create educational opportunities on the Super Bowl platform to highlight Miami’s unique and valuable natural areas.

Some of the O2E events include: the MSBHC reef-restoration project; Ocean Conservancy’s Sugarloaf Showdown fishing tournament and its goal of removing and diverting 54 tons of ocean plastic and other waste from South Florida waterways this season; The Everglades Foundation’s celebration of Everglades National Park’s 72nd birthday; and NFL Green’s restoration of Kendall Indian Hammocks Park.

The Python Bowl, held in partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the South Florida Water Management District, will officially kick off on Jan. 10. Participants will work to remove pythons from The Everglades. They are not native to South Florida and threaten the very existence of several native species. Humans are responsible for the infestation of non-native species, and humans can address these problems to protect the diversity of native wildlife.

The MSBHC’s environmental efforts will culminate at Super Bowl LIVE, a seven-day fan fest at Bayfront Park the week leading up to the big game. Super Bowl LIVE will prominently feature Environmental Village, which will host several events, including those presented by The Everglades Foundation and Ocean Conservancy. Within Environmental Village, 500,000 residents and visitors will have the chance to interact with and learn more about the ocean and The Everglades.

Ultimately, our natural areas are all connected by water. South Florida’s water supply comes from the Everglades, and our ability to live here depends on Everglades restoration providing a continuous and reliable source of clean freshwater. We also depend upon that restored freshwater flow to help protect our habitats and water supply from the affects of sea level rise. The Florida Reef Tract is the third-largest barrier reef in the world. Florida needs a healthy reef; it provides storm protection, is home for an abundance of marine life, upon which we depend on for a variety of food sources; and is major part of our tourism economy.

As we welcome to Miami Super Bowl fans from around the world, let’s continue to value the natural resources that play a critical role in our lives in Florida and in the strength of our economy. The Super Bowl is here for one day, while millions of us live here year-round. Help make valuing the natural environment a priority long after the Lombardi trophy is lifted in February.

Eric Eikenberg is chair of Ocean to Everglades and CEO of The Everglades Foundation. Jacquie Weisblum is director, Ocean to Everglades, Miami Super Bowl Host Committee.

This story was originally published December 9, 2019 at 6:16 PM.