For years, Mullin has partnered with the Audubon Nature Institute to help build, restore, and maintain some of New Orleans’ most recognizable public spaces. From immersive animal habitats at the Audubon Zoo and Aquarium to the city’s riverfront at Woldenberg Park, each project has required a different set of technical skills while sharing one constant: careful planning, precise execution, and an understanding that every landscape serves a larger purpose.
Working within active public attractions presents challenges that extend far beyond traditional landscape construction. Animal welfare, guest experience, operational continuity, and long-term landscape performance all have to be considered from the first day on site. Across multiple projects, Mullin has consistently delivered work that meets those expectations while strengthening a relationship built on trust and performance.
Mullin completed a full landscape restoration for the Jaguar Jungle exhibit, constructing bermed islands within an active lagoon, stabilizing eroding shorelines, and installing habitat plantings designed to support both the animals and the visitor experience. Crews coordinated work around active animal areas while completing the project on schedule without a safety incident.
“With over an acre of outdoor exhibit yard, the landscaping was critical to the appearance and function of this project. Mullin rose to every challenge that we faced with a smile.” — Jonathan Sanders, Senior Project Manager, Audubon Nature Institute
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Mullin completed a full interior and exterior renovation of the Wings of the World exhibit, installing tropical landscaping, irrigation, faux log structures, walkways, sod, fencing, and site improvements. The work was completed in phases, with birds removed during the first phase and returned during the second, requiring crews to continue construction carefully around the active habitat.
Inside one of the Aquarium’s most complex exhibits, Mullin restored a three-level indoor rainforest while protecting free-flying birds, open aquatic exhibits, and decades-old vegetation. The work required rope-access installation techniques, custom protection systems, and daily coordination with horticulture and animal care teams. The completed project earned a 2023 NALP Gold Award of Excellence.
“Animal safety is the top priority and Mullin understood this. Every person we interacted with was a pleasure to work with, provided transparency, regular updates, and unwavering dedication.” — Landon P. Proctor, Director of Horticulture, Audubon Nature Institute
Adjacent to the Aquarium, Mullin helped transform an underused wharf into a landscaped public park overlooking the Mississippi River. Working within strict structural load limits and heavy pedestrian traffic, the team installed large Live Oaks, irrigation, grading, and thousands of plants while maintaining public access throughout construction.
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Each Audubon project presents a different construction environment. Some involve working around live animals, others require protecting sensitive aquatic habitats or coordinating construction in heavily visited public spaces. Rather than applying the same approach to every project, Mullin develops site-specific construction plans that reflect the operational needs of each facility.
Because the work is largely self-performed, the team maintains direct control over scheduling, quality, and coordination from the beginning of construction through final installation. That consistency has allowed Mullin to become a trusted landscape contractor across multiple Audubon facilities, with experience spanning habitat construction, exhibit restoration, and public park improvements.
Today, Mullin’s work can be found throughout the Audubon campus, from immersive zoo habitats and award-winning aquarium exhibits to one of New Orleans’ most visited riverfront parks. Together, these projects demonstrate the firm’s ability to deliver landscape construction in environments where safety, coordination, and long-term performance are equally important.
The relationship continues to reflect what Mullin values most: becoming the contractor clients trust not for a single project, but across an entire campus.
