Jane Goodall's current conservation efforts are focused on creating locally managed forests and community-centred conservation projects through the Jane Goodall Institute.

The Jane Goodall Institute is involved in various projects, including the TACARE project, which encourages woodlot planting and facilitates village land-use plans with USAID funding.

Dr. Jane Goodall has warned of a bleak future without action and has attended the COP15 global biodiversity summit to raise awareness about the issue.

She has also campaigned to ban trophy hunting and has emphasized the importance of healthy ecosystems for human well-being.

The Roots & Shoots program, founded by Dr. Jane Goodall, has over 8,000 sub-groups in 140 countries and promotes global environmental peace.

The program inspires young people to care for the environment and is active in 68 countries worldwide, helping animals, people, and the environment.

Roots & Shoots encourages young people to take action for conservation and aims to stop species extinction through collective action.

The program empowers children to choose conservation projects and fosters community-led conservation and research.

Dr. Jane Goodall hopes to expand Roots & Shoots to every school, and the program is part of the Jane Goodall Institute.

The Roots & Shoots program operates in 68 countries to help animals, people, and the environment, empowering children to take action on conservation issues.

The program focuses on endangered species and environmental conservation, with Jane Goodall hoping it inspires young people to make a difference.

Roots & Shoots encourages collective action to address conservation issues, aiming to give people hope and inspire positive change.

The program helps animals on the brink of extinction, such as the black robin, and human intervention can reverse the course of species extinction, as seen in success stories.

Collective action can make a difference in conservation efforts, as demonstrated by the Roots & Shoots program.

The program is active in 70 countries, empowering young people to create change and addressing major concerns such as climate change and loss of biodiversity.

The Roots & Shoots program, founded by Jane Goodall, aims to empower young people to make a positive change in their communities and has been adapted for use in various settings, including high schools.

The program operates in over 60 countries and educates young people on environmental issues, making it a relevant and effective tool for high school students.

High school students can participate in conservation-focused lesson plans and activities, such as planting trees and shrubs along streambanks, which helps to protect soil from erosion and provide shade.

Students can also lead conservation projects and community outreach, such as building nesting boxes and water filtration, in partnership with organizations like Ducks Unlimited.

The Envirothon competition is another example of a conservation-focused activity for high school students, where they participate in hands-on activities like measuring trees and identifying birds.

Creating a butterfly garden for monarch habitat restoration is also a successful conservation-focused lesson plan, where students can learn about ecosystems and habitat destruction.

A bioblitz of an outdoor classroom area is another example of a conservation-focused activity, where students can restore the area by controlling invasive species and planting native plants.

High school students can also participate in community projects, such as creating dog beds from tires for animal shelters, which promotes environmental sustainability and community service.

The MiniCop event is an example of a conservation-focused activity, where students participate in litter picking, craft bird nesting boxes, and learn about tree identification and forest fire risks.

Learning about invasive species, such as Japanese barberry, and participating in removal efforts is another example of a conservation-focused lesson plan.

Students can also participate in conservation carnivals, where they can design interactive game booths and learn about recycling and waste reduction.

The Marine Ecology Classroom provides hands-on learning for high school students, where they can learn about coral breeding and conservation, and monitor water level and temperature through mobile apps.

The bear conservation unit in the curriculum of Kodiak High School is another example of a conservation-focused lesson plan, where students can learn about bear physiology and ecology, and practice bear encounters with simulations and costumes.

Jane Goodall's current conservation efforts are focused on creating locally managed forests and community-centred conservation projects through the Jane Goodall Institute.

Title:

Content: Tanzania: Boycott of land use plan puts conversation efforts in danger

By Robert Bociaga, in Kigoma
Posted on Friday, 4 November 2022 16:56

Communities living in proximity of Gombe National Park in Western Tanzania have contested conservation programmes meant to protect endangered chimpanzees, as well as land registration process. This comes amid the growing discontent nationwide over the execution of land policies.

The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global conservation organisation that was established following the founder’s research into the lives of the chimpanzees, offered to create a locally managed forest for the dwellers of neighbouring villages in order to stop them from cutting trees at the protected area.

“As chimpanzees require a large home range size and some of the protected areas like Gombe may not provide enough habitat for sustainable chimpanzees conservation, the primates will need to connect to other chimpanzees in the landscape [for genetic diversity] and access suitable habitats outside the park,” says Wilson Elihuruma Kimaro, a biological conservationist at Gombe National Park. “This is why land use planning […] is critical”.

However, the plan was boycotted by some local members of the Waha community, as the participants feared the expansion of the national park and their expulsion without compensation. Despite the deeply rooted fears over the status of their lands, people from the nearby areas were not sufficiently engaged to understand the process.

Growing mistrust

The JGI has been involved in multiple community-centred conservation projects. Since the early 1990s, its TACARE project has encouraged the planting of woodlots to provide a supply of firewood. More recently, a USAID-funded program facilitated the creation of village land-use plans.

During the participatory land use planning meetings, however, worries over whether Gombe National Park would annex more of the area were not sufficiently addressed and as a result, some villagers destroyed the tree samples planted by the JGI, and refused to participate in the land registration process.

The mistrust between the communities and the authorities is also deepened thanks to the persistent issue of the lack of compensation over crops destroyed by wild animals.

Adam Kohoe, a local leader from Bubango village, and the member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), voluntarily patrols the forest to ward off those cutting trees for charcoal or making furniture. For him, silence from the authorities with regards to this matter has been very puzzling. “In the past, we sent many letters to the park about the intrusions of the monkeys, and wild pigs, but we never received any reply,” he says.

Objectives lost in action

“One of the benefits of the land-use planning process provided by the Tanzania land and forest laws is that it gives an opportunity for villagers to designate an area as the Village Land Forest Reserve during the land-use planning process,” says Kimaro.

However, Masalu Luhula, a land tenure specialist, says “national parks in Tanzania have been expanding in a way that makes communities suspicious [and] if people are not engaged, imposed solution[s] will not work as the solutions must come from people”.

In some ways, the law itself is flawed because the president of Tanzania can always acquire the land

According to him, Tanzania’s Village Land Act of 1999 puts rural communities at the heart of all land-related issues, but in practice, the implementation of the law has often turned out to be cumbersome for the authorities.

The law requires the government to consult the villages through an assembly, but in this case, “the institute communicated mainly with the village leader”, says Eliyas Elmas, a resident of Bubango village. “[…] This provoked the accusations over […] alleged corruption and expansion of the Gombe National Park.”

Luhula argues that in some ways, the law itself is flawed because “the president of Tanzania can always acquire the land, and the community can only demand the compensation, which is against the spirit of democracy”, he says.

The case of forced relocation of Maasai people in the Ngorongoro Province, and also the expansion of Rungwa Game Reserve, where communities were not consulted, have been resonating nationwide. Many hint at the history of injustice regarding land-related issues that has been haunting Tanzania since the colonial times when thousands were expelled to make space for the  creation of various protected areas.

Nevertheless, among the villagers, there are still people trying to protect the forest, appreciating the value of the wildlife. Some of them have even agreed to relocation if compensated, but the communication with the authorities has not been sufficient to dispel their doubts about the plan for the area.

Still, “human population increase is one of the main challenges facing […] conservation [efforts] in Tanzania, [but for] the local communities, forest resources are still the cheapest option for their well-being”, says Kimaro.

The need for national debate

In Tanzania, about 43.7% of the total land area is protected, of which at least 28% of the mainland’s total land area is made up of protected areas (including Game Controlled Areas), while about 15.7% is made up of forest reserves. However, most of the species are found outside of already protected areas, competing with farmers, pastoralists or business people for survival.

For Kimaro, the core issue remains the need to balance conservation and development. “People living close to the parks are living in abject poverty. Addressing their challenges while implementing conservation goals can be very difficult,” he says, adding that an improvement in daily well-being would decrease their dependency on forest products.

The Waha communities near Gombe National Park, who are predominantly farmers, lack good quality infrastructure and do not see themselves as the beneficiaries of conservation. “People move on unpaved roads, classrooms are overcrowded, while hospitals [are not well] equipped,” says Elmas.

To earn a living, many cultivate oil palm trees, a cash crop of growing importance, but the villagers apply an old-fashioned technology of processing the palm oil, which keeps their profits low. This is despite Tanzania’s ambitious plans to end the import of palm oil by 2025.

Assa Makanika, a CCM member and Tanzania’s youngest parliamentarian, comes from Kalinzi, another village near Gombe. He advocated for support for existing palm oil producers near Kigoma, but without success, Nevertheless, he supports plans to expand production of palm oil at home, insisting that “there’s enough un-utilised land available in Tanzania, and the country should develop this sector”.

Luhula, however, sees the problem in the fact that “the same system has been exercised for many years, and there have been no major changes in the land governance”.

People have conflicting interests over land use, and with the increase in population “some sort of national debate might be necessary as the land being generationally transferred is a highly important issue”, he says.

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The Jane Goodall Institute is involved in various projects, including the TACARE project, which encourages woodlot planting and facilitates village land-use plans with USAID funding.

Dr. Jane Goodall has warned of a bleak future without action and has attended the COP15 global biodiversity summit to raise awareness about the issue.

Title:

Content: Leading conservationist Dr Jane Goodall warns next generation faces a 'bleak future' without action

COP15, the once-in-decade global biodiversity summit, began in Montreal on Wednesday. Ahead of the conference, ITV News spoke to one of the world's most famous and inspiring conservationists, Dr Jane Goodall.

With an estimated one million plant and animal species facing extinction, the scale of the issues being grappled with by nations at COP15 in Montreal could hardly be greater.

Entire ecosystems face collapse if we do not act, so how best to overcome this challenge?

Dr Jane Goodall has spent a lifetime trying to understand, protect and educate others about the natural world. She’s witnessed devastating habitat loss but also examples of where, given time, nature returns.

She paints a dark picture of what happens if politicians fail to rise to the occasion, saying the “price of failure is condemning our children, our children's children, to a very, very bleak and grim future.”

Talking to ITV News in Parliament, where she was marking a significant moment in the campaign to ban trophy hunting, she explains how we need to view nature.

“I would say how important it is to realise that we are actually not separate from the natural world. We are part of it and more than that we depend on it. We depend on it for food, water, everything," she said.

"We depend on healthy ecosystems. An ecosystem is made up of an interrelated mix of animal and plant species living in that ecosystem. And as more and more animals and plants become extinct in that area, so the ecosystem eventually will collapse.”

Decades of witnessing animals, such as primates, up close has forged her understanding of our world. It was notable in a room full of animal welfare campaigners just how quiet it was when she spoke.

In Montreal, the world faces a choice but it’s complicated. Delivering change includes finding a way of maintaining wealth. Making people poorer while saving plants and animals won’t work, but Dr Jane Goodall sees options that will.

She concluded: “We need nature for our own physical and psychological well-being. That's proven again and again. We must not let these ecosystems collapse, we have this window of time, we have the tools, we know how we can do things. But will we?”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know

She has also campaigned to ban trophy hunting and has emphasized the importance of healthy ecosystems for human well-being.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

The Roots & Shoots program, founded by Dr. Jane Goodall, has over 8,000 sub-groups in 140 countries and promotes global environmental peace.

Title:

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Environmental scientist Jane Goodall visits Korea with message on peace and environment
# Panorama Korean news l 2023-07-11
Seoul Panorama
GYEONGGI PROVINCE
Dr. Jane Goodall, a world-renowned zoologist and environmental activist, recently visited Korea, where she delivered a message on the environment and peace near the demilitarized zone to mark the 70th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice Agreement.
She expressed the hope that the Korean peninsula would return to a state of peace and that the day would come when the North Koreans could be met in the demilitarized zone.
She was accompanied by a senior professor at the Lihua University for Girls, Chih Ji Chun.
The organizing committee of the open festival of the demilitarized zone said that the "Declaration of Environmental Peace in the Zone" event took place on the 8th of this month at the Jang San Observatory in Baju city, Kyung-ki province.
Dr. Goodall has been dedicated to studying chimpanzees, protecting the wild environment and improving animal processing for more than six decades, while Professor Chea is one of Korea ’ s leading experts in animal biology and behavior.
About 50 members of the international environmental protection group Roots and Shoots participated in the festival for dialogue and a number of activities aimed at promoting the value of global environmental peace.
Founded in 1901, Dr. Goodall has been visiting countries around the world to convey a message about the environment and peace, and currently has more than 8,000 sub-groups in about 140 countries.
The participants flew a large dove made of cloth symbolizing peace to express a message of environmental peace on the Korean peninsula at the Jang San Observatory.
They also stressed the value of preserving wildlife in the demilitarized zone by organizing a march accompanied by the sound of the drums.
For his part, Prof. Cheh said that the demilitarized zone is a valuable human property with rich biodiversity, hoping that this event will provide an opportunity to convey the environmental, peaceful and cultural values of the region and mutual sympathy.
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How far has Dr. Goodall's Roots & Shoots program spread?

The program inspires young people to care for the environment and is active in 68 countries worldwide, helping animals, people, and the environment.

Title:

Content: ×

The work of legendary ethnobiologist, conservationist and activist Jane Goodall has already inspired people to care for endangered species and the environment for decades — but the doctor’s latest endeavor continues her work in motivating the next generation.

Apple TV+’s mission-driven children’s series “Jane” harnesses the power of TV, with Emmy-winning creator J.J. Johnson (“Endlings,” “Ghostwriter”) using Goodall’s teachings to motivate kids to take a stand for endangered species and care for the environment. “Jane,” from the Jane Goodall Institute and Johnson’s company Sinking Ship Entertainment, premiered on April 14, with 10 episodes now available on Apple TV+.

“Jane” features eager 9-year-old environmentalist Jane Garcia (Ava Louise Murchison) — who is inspired to help save the planet, following in the footsteps of her role model, Goodall — along with her friends David (Mason Blomberg) and a chimpanzee named Greybeard. Each episode focuses on a different endangered species, such as Apis mellifera (Western honey bee) and Panthera tigris (tiger). Blending live action and CGI — and featuring an epic theme song “One Step Closer” written by Diane Warren, and sung by Leona Lewis — the show depicts the friends taking a stand for the species and the environment, and getting into occasional trouble along the way. The episodes all end with the friends video-chatting with real-life animal experts, particularly highlighting women and people of color.

While Goodall’s years of dedication to great apes research and advocacy have made her a household name in the 21st century, she began her work at age 26 in 1960 studying chimpanzees. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, which fosters research, advocacy as well as community-led conservation, and it empowers children — particularly through its youth program Roots and Shoots, which was founded in 1991.

A United Nations Messenger of Peace and a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE), Goodall’s research on chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania helped change scientists’ understanding of humans’ relationship to animals. The research continues in Tanzania through the Jane Goodall Institute Gombe Stream Research Center, and it is the world’s longest-running chimpanzee study.

Also a prolific author, Goodall has adult and children’s literary works such as “The Book of Hope,” “In the Shadow of Man” and “Rickie and Henri: A True Story.”

Goodall is no stranger to the screen, however, as the subject of dozens of films including “Chimps, So Like Us,” “Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees” and “Jane Goodall: The Hope” — as well as Brett Morgen’s 2017 Emmy-nominated documentary, also called “Jane.” While Goodall did not create this “Jane” for Apple TV+, her life’s work and teachings inspire the show’s protagonist who idolizes her, and if Goodall had not approved the show’s concept when it was in development, it would not have moved forward.

Goodall, who turned 89 earlier this month, spoke with Variety over Zoom about how she hopes “Jane” inspires the youngest generation, and what she hopes to accomplish next in her career.

How do you hope viewers, especially children, react when they see “Jane”?

I hope that it will encourage them to actually think more about endangered species — to think about the fact that if we’re not careful, many of these species will disappear. I hope it also will encourage young people to join our Roots and Shoots program, which is in 68 countries. It’s about young people choosing projects to help — animals, people and the environment — deciding what they want to do, working out what they can do, rolling up their sleeves and taking action.

So if this Jane Garcia encourages real-life activities, it’ll be great. I hope it will encourage young people to join in the effort to make this a better world, to choose projects that will help to save the environment before it’s too late.

Talk about environmental issues often creates anxiety in children and young adults, but it is still obviously important to learn about — how do you, through this show or beyond, hope to inspire the next generation without causing anxiety?

That’s my entire program Roots and Shoots, it’s all about taking action. If young people get together and work on projects, which is the same sort of thing with Sinking Ship Entertainment, then it’s all about positive change. We need to know that many species are close to extinction, but that we have to stop that from happening. And therefore we have to work together to find out ways of saving the animals that are moving toward extinction. We need to know about the doom and gloom — I talk about it all the time. But at the same time, it’s desperately important to give people hope, especially young people, because, yes, we can make a difference.

So “Jane” shows young people how they can get together and solve the “doom and gloom” effectively?

Yeah, hopefully. The goal is to try and get young people involved and taking action, and stepping on beyond that to do more. It’s young people getting really worried, but then working together with older people who are also wanting to try to save the species. So it’s a complete mixture.

How do we inspire the next generation to create change, without placing blame on children for a situation they didn’t create?

There are major problems and, yes, all sorts of things have led to unfortunate decreases in numbers of endangered species. But the whole emphasis is on working together to create change. Let’s get young people involved, talk about what can be done to make a difference and then, as I say, roll up their sleeves and work out what they can do. And taking action is going to be different with different species. And, basically, I hope that this program will have enough fun in it, as well as understanding the problem, that young people will be pushing toward saving a lot of these animals. Many animals on the very brink of extinction have been given another chance.

What’s an example of a species that was pushed toward extinction, but human intervention reversed the course?

My favorite one is that little black robin that was reduced to just two individuals, one male and one female. That was it. And through some very clever work, there are now about 500 of them. They’re all genetically identical, of course, but they’re being spread into four different islands. So, hopefully, there will be some genetic change so they’re not all identical, since that’s not very healthy. There are many, many stories like that.

What message do you have for people who feel hopeless, or that they alone cannot make a difference?

People have to realize that every single one of us can make a difference. We could just say, “Oh well, I know that animals are becoming extinct. There’s nothing I can do about it.” That’s really going to be the end of us. But if you decide, “I will try and make a difference, I will do something every single day,” then we can make a difference. We can choose what we can do: Some of us can help animals, some of us can help planting trees, some of us can help whatever it is that we care about. And if we all choose projects to make the world better, then it’s going to make a major difference. We don’t all give up and say, “Well, it’s just me, there’s nothing I can do.” If we give up, then the future is not very good, is it? We all have to do our bit to try and persuade other people. We’re in the middle of a pretty bad, dark space. So for young people to join in and feel, “Gosh, if I do this, I will be making the world a better place,” that’s really important.

You’ve done so much in your life and in your career — what else do you look forward to accomplishing?

I want our Roots and Shoots program to be in every school in every country. But I always say, “If you try and aim for the stars, you might reach the moon. If you aim for the moon, you might reach the head of Mount Everest,” for example. So that’s the same for the stars — and at least we can reach the moon and help to protect the various animals and plants that are facing tremendous danger. The young and old alike in different countries need to really, really work hard to save these creatures. We’ve got to do it now.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

Roots & Shoots encourages young people to take action for conservation and aims to stop species extinction through collective action.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The program empowers children to choose conservation projects and fosters community-led conservation and research.

What will decrease anxiety according to Dr. Goodall?

young people working together on conservation projects

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

Dr. Jane Goodall hopes to expand Roots & Shoots to every school, and the program is part of the Jane Goodall Institute.

The Roots & Shoots program operates in 68 countries to help animals, people, and the environment, empowering children to take action on conservation issues.

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The program focuses on endangered species and environmental conservation, with Jane Goodall hoping it inspires young people to make a difference.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the the Apple TV series "Jane" will do for people?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

Roots & Shoots encourages collective action to address conservation issues, aiming to give people hope and inspire positive change.

What will decrease anxiety according to Dr. Goodall?

young people working together on conservation projects

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

Why did Dr. Goodall found Roots & Shoots?

The program helps animals on the brink of extinction, such as the black robin, and human intervention can reverse the course of species extinction, as seen in success stories.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

Collective action can make a difference in conservation efforts, as demonstrated by the Roots & Shoots program.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

What will decrease anxiety according to Dr. Goodall?

young people working together on conservation projects

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The program is active in 70 countries, empowering young people to create change and addressing major concerns such as climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Title:

Content: World-famous for her research with chimpanzees, Jane Goodall now focuses on the human condition

Apr 21, 2024 | 0 comments

By Michelle Cohan

In 1960, on the banks of Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania, one young British woman would set out to change what we know about primates forever.

Jane Goodall, in 1960, searching an African forest for chimpanzees.

Jane Goodall defied conventional scientific methods by immersing herself in the jungle, which led to groundbreaking discoveries about chimpanzees; most notably that they use tools, are omnivores and that they are socially complex beings.

More than six decades later, her unorthodox field work – and her conservation efforts – are still celebrated around the world.

Today, the recently-turned 90-year-old’s work looks a little different – taking place mostly indoors, and with a different crowd. Through her program called “Roots & Shoots,” Goodall empowers young people to create change within their communities. And for her, this work is just as significant.

CNN spoke with Goodall recently during a trip to South Africa, where she observed some of the projects local Johannesburg students are heading up as part of Roots & Shoots.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

CNN: The younger generation has so much they can learn from elders. Who made an impact on your life?

Goodall: I think it’s really important, this exchange of information from the elders to the youngers. I was really lucky; I had an amazing mother. I was born loving animals, and she supported that love of animals. I was one-and-a-half years old, and she came into my room and she found I’d taken a whole handful of wriggling earthworms into my bed. Most mothers would’ve [said], ‘Oh, throw these dirty things [away].’ She just said, ‘Jane, I think they might die without the Earth, you better take them into the garden.’ And so she nurtured this inherent love I had … in all the insects, the birds, the animals, everybody around me.

Jane Goodall

CNN: Roots & Shoots is active in 70 countries, where hundreds of thousands of young people are making an impact within their communities. How did the program come about?

Goodall: When I began Roots & Shoots in Tanzania in 1991, it was because I was meeting young people then who had lost hope. Young people who felt we’d compromised their future. And the reason they’re losing hope, it’s obvious: climate change, loss of biodiversity. I could go on listing, listing, listing … but when they said there was nothing they could do about it, then I thought, ‘No, that’s not true.’

We worked out that Roots & Shoots’ main message [would be that] every individual has a role to play. And that we needed to think holistically in terms of helping the environment, people and animals, because we are all interrelated. That’s where it began.

CNN: What is the most important message to convey to the younger generation?

Goodall: The goal that I have is helping young people understand that there is a window of time [to save the planet]. Unfortunately, today I [still] meet more and more people who are losing hope. So many people feel helpless and hopeless because [they question] what can they can do as an individual.

But what people have to understand is when it’s 2 million, 1 billion, 2 billion, 3 billion, all taking small actions to make the world a better place, that is changing the world. What matters is people understanding that as an individual, what they do makes a difference. Not because it’s just them, but because they are not alone.

CNN: Does climate innovation and technology give you hope?

Goodall: Yeah, I think that if we look around at what’s happening to the planet, we need to grab onto every single thing we can that will help us to move forward out of the disaster that we have created. And if we look at solar energy, if we look at wind energy and the power of tide energy, then these things are good.

The problem has been to get government support. So governments tend to put money into the fossil fuel industry, rather than to support the new emerging technologies that will enable us to live in a more harmonious way with the natural world. If we don’t do that, our future is doomed. And unfortunately, it’s not only our future, but so many of the other animals that so many of us love. We have to take action now.

CNN: What message do you have for the world?

Goodall: A message to the world would be, don’t forget that you as an individual make an impact on the environment every single day. And it’s up to you to choose what sort of impact you make. I think once everybody understands the role that they play, whoever they are, is so desperately important, then we move towards a better world.

Editor’s note: At one of Goodall’s recent presentations in California, 93-year-old movie actor and director Clint Eastwood was in the audience. Asked why he was there, Eastwood said he supported Goodall’s work and added that he was a big fan of 90-year-olds.
_________________

Credit: CNN

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The Roots & Shoots program, founded by Jane Goodall, aims to empower young people to make a positive change in their communities and has been adapted for use in various settings, including high schools.

Title:

Content: Jane Goodall wants University of Wisconsin-Madison students to walk away with one message Sunday: Do not give up hope.

It’s a strategy the world-renowned ethologist and conservationist has found effective in spurring action, even as headlines catastrophizing climate change inundate people with a sense of doom.

“I don't agree with scientists who say the tipping point has already reached the point of no return with climate change and loss of biodiversity,” Goodall told the Cap Times. “We still have a window of time. But if we lose hope, fall into apathy and don't take action, then we're doomed.”

Goodall is best known for her groundbreaking work in the early ‘60s as a primatologist. At 26, she began studying chimpanzees in Tanzania, becoming the first to observe that the animals make and use tools. Now part of the world’s longest-running study of wild chimpanzees, her findings have forever changed scientific understanding of primates and humans’ relationship to them.

Goodall’s legacy also endures through her activism. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a global conservation nonprofit. One of the organization’s programs, Roots & Shoots, educates young people in over 60 countries to work on environmental, conservation and humanitarian issues.

In 2021, Goodall additionally published “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times,” which details her hope in the world’s ability to make change despite its environmental challenges.

Goodall will speak Sunday at 7 p.m. in UW-Madison’s Memorial Union for the Wisconsin Union’s Distinguished Lecture Series. Tickets for the event sold out among students within 90 minutes, but the public can still register to watch the online livestream.

In a virtual interview with the Cap Times, Goodall spoke from the Edgewater Hotel about climate deniers, how she remains optimistic and what the audience can expect from her on Sunday.

Will you have time to explore Madison this weekend, or will you mostly be working?

It’s all working. Not mostly — all. But the hotel has a lovely view overlooking the lake with all the ice. My life turns out to be work, meeting lovely people and just having an occasional moment to walk in a bit of nature.

What can people expect to learn from you on Sunday?

I hope they take away the message that every single one of them makes a difference every single day of their lives, and they can choose what sort of difference they make. I think that’s the most important message that anybody can have — that they, as an individual, matter and have a role to play.

Your platform revolves around this message of hope. What might be the harm in catastrophizing?

It makes people lose hope. If you’re told that nothing you can do will avert the planet heating up to a point where life is no longer possible and that we’re destroying the ecosystems on which we depend, then why bother doing anything?

The important thing is to realize we still have time, but we have to take action. We have to each do our bit. It may seem small, but billions of small, ethical actions make change.

Much of your work focuses on involving young people within conservation efforts. What inspires you about the attitudes of younger generations toward animals and the environment?

They are much more aware, which isn’t surprising. When I was young, "environmentalism" wasn’t even a word.

Young people are surrounded by doom and gloom. The radio’s full of it, the internet's full of it, the television's full of it, the press is full of it, and so they're much more aware. Fortunately, there are enough people saying it's not too late, and that inspires them and galvanizes them into action.

Do you think those attitudes are much different from older generations?

They are different because older generations either didn't understand what was happening because of ignorance, or they don't want to understand because they want to carry on with business as usual. They want to go on making money in the short term at the expense of future generations.

Sometimes I don’t think they’re thinking like that. I don't think they're deliberately understanding that they're harming the future for their children and grandchildren. But they're simply not thinking in the way that we should be thinking today.

Is it still worth trying to change their minds?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! How to change the minds of the older people? Through storytelling, not through pointing fingers, not through making people angry, not by telling them they're bad, but by reaching into the heart. I’ll give you one example.

This CEO of a huge international corporation told me he was working to get his company ethical for three reasons. One, because we're using our nature's finite natural resources faster than nature can replenish them. Second, consumer pressure — people are beginning to demand ethically produced products.

But what really tipped the balance, he said, was his little girl of 8. She came back from school one day and said, “Daddy, they're telling me that what you're doing is hurting the planet. That's not true, is it, Daddy? Because it's my planet.” That reached his heart. That's the way you change people.

When did you realize this approach of storytelling could persuade people?

I think it was probably part of my nature. I'm not confrontational. I'm fighting for change, yes, but not by confronting. People must change from within. I don't believe you can change them by hammering them with facts that they don't want to listen to.

When I first went to the medical research labs where the scientists kept chimps in 5-foot by 5-foot cages, it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I came out shaken, trying not to cry. I was taken into a room with the top people from the National Institute of Health in the department of animal experimentation. I realized they were waiting for me to speak.

I said, “I imagine all of you are caring and compassionate people, and maybe feel just as I did about what's going on in there.” When you think of it, that was very clever. They couldn’t admit they weren’t caring and compassionate, could they?

Instead of telling them they were bad people, I showed them pictures of the chimpanzees in the wild, making their nests, playing, lying around. In their minds, they could contrast it with the cages where these very social beings were kept for 30 to 40 years. I know it did get into some of their hearts because they told me so. It made some labs completely change the way that they operated.

When you meet somebody, or a group of people, you may not realize that you've made a difference — but you may have planted seeds that will grow and cause change in some of the hearts.

What mistakes did you make early on in your career that emerging activists and young people can learn from?

I was saved from making mistakes in the early days. Before I went to Africa to study chimps, I was working at London Zoo. The chimps were in terrible conditions. So when I got back from my first stint in Africa, the zoo arranged a press conference. I thought now I could really tell the world how bad the chimps were treated!

I happened to be having dinner that night with a very powerful man that I met in Tanzania, and I told him about my plan with great excitement. There was dead silence. He said, “Do you realize that the head of the London Zoo is Solly Zuckerman, Winston Churchill's wartime adviser? A very, very powerful man. Do you think he's going to take it lying down when you criticize his zoo?”

He said, “Just tell me three things that are the most important to change.” I told him, and within two weeks, they were all done. There was no confrontation. That was a lesson that came just in time for me not to make that mistake.

So it’s about activists getting rid of their own personal egos.

Exactly. What people want is to have their name out there and to say, “I did it. I changed this.” It’s learning to not want to be recognized for change. The main thing is to make the change. Not “me” making the change.

This powerful man obviously didn't want me to say that the chimps were being treated badly. He immediately agreed, but didn’t want it out in the press. Give Solly Zuckerman the credit. That’s fine — as long as it changes.

This is a lesson I talk about with our youth. I tell them not to be confrontational. Your goal: Is it to glorify yourself? To be the champion? Or do you really want change?

What do people still not understand about your work and its relevance today?

Climate change deniers, people who don’t want to make a difference, probably don’t understand. What they really think is hard to tell. But are there really people who deny that climate change is happening? Probably not. When they admit it’s real, they say it’s natural and that it’s not manmade. Do they really believe that? I can’t believe they do — but that’s what they say. They don’t want to lose face, and making people lose face isn’t a good way to make change.

What makes you think they don’t really believe what they’re saying?

Well, I can't think of anybody with any ounce of intelligence could believe it. That's why.

How often do you come across those kinds of people?

Not very often. They tend to avoid me.

Kayla Huynh joined the Cap Times in 2021 and covers higher education. She graduated from Northwestern University with a master's degree in journalism after attending UW-Madison.

Support Kayla's work and local journalism by becoming a Cap Times member.

To comment on this story, submit a letter to the editor.

The program operates in over 60 countries and educates young people on environmental issues, making it a relevant and effective tool for high school students.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

High school students can participate in conservation-focused lesson plans and activities, such as planting trees and shrubs along streambanks, which helps to protect soil from erosion and provide shade.

Title:

Content: SISTERS — About two dozen students from Sisters High School split into two groups, with half wading across Whychus Creek to plant hundreds of trees and shrubs along the streambanks.

By sowing the native plants — spirea, dogwood, red dogwood, cottonwood and willow — the students were getting hands-on experience about what they learned in class about riparian areas and restoration.

The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, which led the students through the work, has partnered with schools for years to connect students to rivers and streams and help them develop a sense of place, a sense of stewardship and learn what the restoration work means and why it’s important.

But this was a special week because students participated in the final phase of a series of restoration projects that began in the early 2000s to remove dams on Whychus Creek and open up 38 miles of spawning and rearing habitat for fish.

Mathias Perle, the restoration program manager for the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, told students the final dam had been recently removed and chinook salmon and steelhead trout are slowly beginning to return.

Kolleen Yake, the watershed council’s education director, showed students how to plant the native plants and explained how the trees and shrubs will protect the soil from erosion and provide shade for native fish.

“The education, the stewardship, it goes beyond just the individual students that we interact with because they interact with their peers, with their parents, with the community as a whole,” Perle told The Bulletin. “And I think that’s something that’s really changed over the last decade is seeing the community in Sisters supporting and getting behind this work, too.”

The removal of Plainview Dam, the last dam in the 38-mile stretch of water, was delayed in September 2020 and again this summer due to wildfires and smoke.

Multiple entities have worked with the watershed council to remove the barrier, including the Three Sisters Irrigation District, the Deschutes National Forest, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and private water rights holders.

The agencies also installed irrigation-diversion fish screens to prevent fish from entering an irrigation canal and piped an unlined irrigation canal to improve water conservation.

Perle said the project has allowed ranchers to continue getting water from the creek, while protecting fishing and creating a better habitat.

The students who took part in planting the trees and shrubs on Tuesday and Wednesday are part of a long running class at Sisters High School called interdisciplinary environmental expedition.

Glen Herron, who teaches the science component of the class, said the class gives high school juniors the opportunity to study the natural environment in a hands-on fashion.

The class integrates three subjects: English, environmental science and outdoor recreation. And most of the time, students are out in the field to experience what they learn in the classroom, Herron said.

At the beginning of the term, Herron said the class started exploring the Hayden Glacier. Throughout the course, the class works its way through the subalpine, coniferous forest and then down to the desert.

“At each of those elevations, we look at what’s happening locally and politically,” he said.

Herron said the goal is to give students a sense of place and have them learn how things like the geology, restoration efforts and recreational opportunities in the region are interconnected.

“We’ve got to be aware of that to be good stewards,” Herron said. “There’s going to be more and more people on this planet, so how are we going to take care of it? I think that’s so important.”

Oscar Rhett, a senior at Sisters High School who is helping lead the class after participating last year, said the class is popular and attracts a lot of students who want to get outside.

But the class transforms student perspectives, he said, by helping students realize they need to play an active role in taking care of the community and the natural environment.

“If I’m out in the woods, it changed the way I camp; it changed the way I deal with trash,” Rhett said. “It helped me care a little bit more about everything.”

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What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

ecological literacy
drive to protect the earth

Students can also lead conservation projects and community outreach, such as building nesting boxes and water filtration, in partnership with organizations like Ducks Unlimited.

Title:

Content: Saskatchewan

Trading homework for hip waders: Regina students become stewards of conservation park

Students from a Regina high school will get to take class outside, while helping the environment.

High school students partner with Ducks Unlimited to create wetland centre of excellence

Science has always been a big part of Mireya Zigler's life.

Zigler's dad was an environmental science teacher at Martin Collegiate in Regina, and she admits to having a bit of a dinosaur obsession as a kid.

Now, Zigler and her Grade 10 classmates at Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School will get to explore their passion for science further, as they become environmental stewards at McKell Wascana Conservation Park.

The project is a partnership between the school and Ducks Unlimited to make the roughly 70-hectare (171-acre) park in east Regina a wetland centre of excellence — part of a national network of schools and community partners for the conservation organization.

The centres give students an opportunity to lead conservation projects and community outreach at their local wetland through the school year, while learning about its importance to the environment.

McKell Wascana is the third such centre in Saskatchewan, and the 27th in Canada.

"As a student, I've just found that everybody's kind of a kinesthetic learner," said Zigler.

"If you're actually going to go out and experience what you're doing, everybody is going to be able to absorb that information ... significantly more than just memorizing text in a classroom."

How these high school students are becoming advocates for the environment

18 hours ago
Duration 2:01
Grade 10 science students from Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School in Regina are taking the classroom outside. They've partnered with Ducks Unlimited to be stewards of the McKell Wascana Conservation Park, which was recently named a Wetland Centre of Excellence.

Her classmate Kaylee Lawrence agrees. It's a great way to get out of the school to learn, says Lawrence.

"We spend a lot of time in there and it can get really boring at times," she said. "This is a great new experience and a way to get us into nature."

Student-directed activities

The 47 students involved in the project will get to choose which conservation activities they want to do.

Those include building nesting boxes for birds, and even getting waist-deep in Wascana Creek to filter the water and improve its quality downstream.

Mariane Bolla, head of national education with Ducks Unlimited, said the McKell Wascana site was chosen for the project because Ducks Unlimited helped establish the park.

Wetlands like McKell Wascana are well known for their environmental benefits — serving as natural water filters and a home for numerous species of animals. They can also store carbon, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere.

Bolla said this particular project requires teachers who show leadership and are willing to put a bit more effort into their lessons.

LeBoldus science teacher Desmond Hartney was already doing some outdoor education, so the Ducks Unlimited project was a good match.

Hartney said his students are eager to start working at the site.

"They kind of feel a responsibility for maintaining it," he said. "They become advocates for the environment — not just necessarily this wetland but also other areas around the city and the province."

Hartney hopes to implement the project into other classes at LeBoldus in the future.

Zigler is hopeful her classmates will become better citizens after the year-long partnership.

"I just hope that people are going to learn to actually care about the environment," she said. "I really hope that this is going to impact them."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ethan Williams

Weather and climate journalist

Ethan Williams is a weather and climate reporter and presenter for CBC News in Saskatchewan, based in Regina. Catch CBC Saskatchewan News with Sam Maciag and Ethan Williams weeknights at 6 p.m. CST for your local news and weather. Get in touch with him: Ethan.Williams@cbc.ca

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What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What will decrease anxiety according to Dr. Goodall?

young people working together on conservation projects

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The Envirothon competition is another example of a conservation-focused activity for high school students, where they participate in hands-on activities like measuring trees and identifying birds.

Title:

Content: Nearly 100 area high school students will be out of the classroom next week and at Twin Lakes Park in Hempfield Township competing in the Envirothon natural-resource challenge in-person for the first time in two years.

The 36-year-old competition returns to its original hands-on format Thursday, April 28.

At Twin Lakes, students will measure trees, interpret maps, identify birds and explore the nuances of a current environmental issue – how to sustainably manage the waste that society creates.

Also at the April 28 event, they will hear a presentation by Melissa Reckner, program manager of Penguin Court in Laughlintown, on using the iNaturalist app to document natural world observations.

Nineteen teams from eight area high schools – Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Greensburg-Salem, Kiski Area, Mt. Pleasant Area, Norwin, Southmoreland and Yough – are scheduled to participate.

The winning team will go on to represent Westmoreland County in the state Envirothon competition, which will be held next month as a hybrid competition.

The Westmoreland Conservation District has sponsored the Westmoreland County Envirothon every year since 1986. The district’s partners in this effort include the Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Bureau of Forestry, and the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Sponsors of this year’s event are Smithfield, Apex Energy, LLC and the Pennsylvania Envirothon, Inc.

What will decrease anxiety according to Dr. Goodall?

young people working together on conservation projects

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

ecological literacy
drive to protect the earth

Creating a butterfly garden for monarch habitat restoration is also a successful conservation-focused lesson plan, where students can learn about ecosystems and habitat destruction.

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WATCH NOW: Valparaiso high school creates butterfly garden

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VALPARAISO — Science teacher Ben Leahy said he sometimes sees students gathered around the gym window, looking out at a seemingly quiet strip of mulch. However, the students know that beneath the dark brown woodchips life is beginning to take root — they're checking for sprouts.

In just a few weeks the dormant flower bed will be filled with coneflowers, thistles, a variety of wildflowers and most importantly, plenty of milkweed. The garden is part of the Valparaiso Alternative Learning Experience, or VALE, high school's monarch habitat restoration project.

VALE first started thinking about monarch habitat loss when local naturalist Jerry Newman asked the school to plant a butterfly garden at the Pines retirement home, where Newman lives.

"I liked the idea because it got the kids involved in doing something for the community, doing something rewarding, getting some fresh air," Leahy said. "It was also a good learning experience because we used the project in biology class to discuss ecosystems and habitat destruction."

At the end of March, a crew of VALE students headed out to the Pines and got to work.

With Newman as their "foreman," the students stripped the grass, turned the soil, planted some perennial rootstocks and annual seeds and then added mulch. In just a month they had created a 20-by-8-foot garden. Around the same time, students also started work on a butterfly garden located at the high school, just below the window of the multipurpose room.

A group of students met with the Valparaiso Horticulture Department to pick up seeds donated by the city, and two students created informational posters detailing the migration, life cycle and habitat needs of monarchs. All told, about 25 of VALE's estimated 120 students were involved in the project.

Leif Doolittle, a junior at VALE, said he enjoyed being able to work directly with the community. Volunteering is a big part of the school's mission, and over the years the school has delivered for Meals on Wheels and volunteered at Hilltop Neighborhood House, Home Team Valpo, the Gabis Arboretum and Valpo Americans.

Hands-on activities help keep students engaged and ensure they "are doing more than just sitting in a chair," Principal Mike Bendicsen explained.

“Being able to see the work they accomplished gives kids a sense of ownership in their community," Bendicsen said. "The skills they learn on the job and that positivity and confidence then can transfer back to the classroom.”

Doing a lot with a little

VALE junior Dominic Murray was excited to work on the project because of his own landscaping experience. After learning more about monarch gardens, he wants to incorporate habitat restoration into his future career.

“I would love to go into landscaping and this [the gardens] was a step towards that," Murray said. “What we have to understand is, insects play a very important role in nature. Without bees we would not have honey and flowers would die."

Working on the project was a bit of "a learning curve," Bendicsen said. Both the faculty and the students discovered how important habitat restoration is in the face of plummeting monarch populations.

There are two populations of monarchs in North America: the eastern, which migrates to Mexico where it overwinters, and the western, which makes the trek to California. From 1996 to 2020, the eastern monarch population dropped 88%, from an estimated 383 million to just under 45 million. Since the 1980s, the western overwintering population has dropped more than 99%, from 4.5 million to 1,914 monarchs, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Monarchs are currently listed as a "candidate" for the endangered species list.

To survive the long migration, monarchs need frequent food and water sources as well as shelter. Shrubs and smaller trees make for the best habitat and milkweed and native wildflowers are the ideal butterfly food, Bendicsen said.

Using non-native grasses and pesticides to perfect a uniform lawn is harmful to butterflies, Leahy explained.

"People have created gorgeous yards and gorgeous gardens, but there is nothing left for the butterflies because the things we kill off as weeds are the things the butterflies need,” Leahy said. "Monarchs are an indicator species meaning they are the first species lost. If monarchs are gone, you can sense something is wrong. But if you can bring them back, that indicates you are doing something right.”

Bendicsen said "you don't have to have a 500-acre field" to create an impactful monarch habitat. Replacing small strips of grass with native plants or adding milkweed to a backyard garden can still create a sort of 'rest stop' for the butterflies as they migrate.

VALE hopes to expand the Pines plot and have students maintain both gardens by watering and weeding them.

As more and more green buds begin to poke through the mulch, VALE students and migrating monarchs should be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor soon.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

ecological literacy
drive to protect the earth

A bioblitz of an outdoor classroom area is another example of a conservation-focused activity, where students can restore the area by controlling invasive species and planting native plants.

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Content: Skip to content

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Clay Township students work to restore outdoor classroom, trails

Efforts recognized by Algonac School Board

Teacher Nikki DeGowske’s fifth-grade class at Algonquin Elementary School recently conducted a bioblitz of the school’s outdoor classroom area and trails.

The classroom has been working with community leaders, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Friends of the St. Clair River and more to restore the school’s outdoor classroom and trails by controlling invasive species, planting native plants that support local wildlife and cleaning up trash, Friends of the St. Clair River Education Manager Melissa Kivel said.

“Students plan to enhance the area with educational signage and promote outdoor education and protection of our environment,” she said. “Most recently, this class was awarded a prestigious Green Guardian Award at the 2023 Blue Water Earth Fair.”

The students performed a bioblitz of the classroom area May 16.

“A bioblitz is a rapid inventory of all living species, including plants, animals, etc., found within a particular area in a certain window of time,” Kivel said. “Students compile all of their observations into one database and monitor the area over time to compare results of the bioblitz before restoration with results of a biolitz after restoration work is completed. One goal of the project is to see an increase in the amount of biodiversity found in the outdoor classroom and trails.”

“The bioblitz went extremely well,” DeGowske said. “It was an epic day of learning and exploring. My fifth-grade students partnered with Brian Ranger’s Chick-fil-A leadership group consisting of students from grades eight to 12 to explore our trail system and outdoor classroom area; Laura Chamblass, our math and science supervisor from (St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency); Kaitlyn Barns, a biologist from the DNR, and members from Friends of the St. Clair River.”

DeGowske said the event was a hit with the students, especially the water exploration area, where kids were able to put on waders and explore the water.

“They got dirty flipping logs and identifying insects, did some bird watching, saw deer, snails, and many snakes,” she said. “We identified living things using the PictureThis app and used Seek by iNaturalist to participate in the bioblitz.”

She said the outdoor system and trail system is useful for teaching science, creative writing and an appreciation for nature and peacefulness, as well as providing hands-on learning activities and physical activity and movement, which “is proven to help brain development and mental health.”

On May 22, the Algonac Community School Board of Education recognized DeGowske’s classroom’s efforts with the project.

At the meeting, DeGowske said the outdoor classroom and trail project started with her students.

“In the fall, we ventured out there to get creative with our writing, but were saddened that we could not sit down on the benches as there was way too much overgrowth and we couldn’t walk all the trails, as many trees had fallen blocking the paths,” she said. “The kids said we should do something about this, so we headed back to our indoor classroom and wrote our ideas down.”

DeGowske reached out to Clay Township Supervisor Artie Bryson to ask questions and look for some help. Bryson met with the students to discuss their ideas and walk the trail and then put a post on social media.

“The next thing you know, people and groups where reaching out to both (Superintendent Alan Latosz) and myself,” DeGowske said. “I met with administration and members of the Algonac Lions Club and Algonac Rotary — the founders of the trail — together we plotted out goals, funding and ideas from the kids to make it better. The Lions Club started helping by clearing the trail for me, which we can now utilize the whole trail.”

She said Bryson put her in contact with Barnes, and they began educating students on the native plants and animals and invasive species in the classroom.

Brian Ranger, the director of the Chick-fil-A group — a service and leadership program at Algonac Jr./Sr. High School — reached out to DeGowske to see if the group could be of any assistance, and were “welcomed with open arms.”

“Together we met with Kaitlyn and ladies from Friends of the St. Clair River for the educational component,” DeGowske said. “We then scheduled our most recent meeting last week, the bioblitz. A bioblitz is hands-on exploration. Kids got dirty and saw firsthand all the wonders of this area. They identified insects, birds, plants, amphibians and mammals. The elementary students were partnered with the older kids, who used technology to participate in an even bigger bioblitz that began on Earth Day and ran until last week for the whole Great Lakes watershed area. It was an amazing day of learning.”

She thanked Latosz and Algonquin Elementary Principal Brook Lestage for supporting her, as well as Algonac Jr./Sr. High School Principal Ryan Melrose for allowing his students to be part of the project.

“It truly is happening because we are all working together as school and community,” she said.

DeGowske said when she was a student in junior high school, the outdoor classroom area and trails used to be a cross country trail. It was not until 2007 that it was developed into the outdoor classroom.

“The original project cost $40,000 — $20,000 came from Waterfowl USA, now known as St. Clair Flats Waterfowlers, $5,000 from the St. Clair County Community Foundation and the rest from the Algonac Rotary,” she said. “It is an 880-foot trail, a 10-foot-by-12-foot dock over the water retention pond and seating for up to 40 students, along with a teacher podium and benches along the trail.”

DeGowske has been in contact to see if she can work with Eagle Scouts on a few projects. She said the St. Clair Flats Waterfowlers have pledged $2,500 to restore the area, the Algonac Rotary has pledged $5,000 and the Algonac Lions Club has helped “tremendously” with removal of dangerous trees and trees blocking the paths and has pledged to help all it can with other items that come up.

“I am currently working with Clay Township to help control the motorized vehicle problem we are facing back there,” she said. “(Police Chief Michael Koach) has assured me his support. Mr. Ranger’s leadership group is hoping to get back over here to Algonquin to do a spring cleanup. We have things like fencing, tractor tires, trash and concrete blocks that need to be removed from the area.”

DeGowske said her next project is working with Scoreboard N More on some educational signage using photos students took.

“One of my students’ big dreams is to improve the sidewalk that is falling into the retention pond, and a storybook trail — we are looking into costs on this — and new on their list, waders,” she said.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

ecological literacy
drive to protect the earth

High school students can also participate in community projects, such as creating dog beds from tires for animal shelters, which promotes environmental sustainability and community service.

Title:

Content: From tires to pet beds, how a sustainability lesson turned into a community project in Catlin

CATLIN, Ill. (WCIA) — In Vermilion County, Salt Fork High School FFA students are scrubbing, power washing, and spray painting all for a good cause. They’re making dog beds for Central Illinois animal shelters.

It didn’t come together overnight. It started with a sustainability lesson.

“It’s when you’re taking what you do now to help and be a positive impact on the generations to come,” Macie Russell, one of the students, said.

After that, it turned into a very popular tire drive. People donated about 100 tires in the first hour of the collection, and the class had about 300 by the end of the day.

After that, the Salt Fork students got to work. Some people were cutting and measuring wood, others focused on cleaning the tires, while the rest either spray painted or finished the cushioned parts for the dogs to lay on.

Turning t-shirts into toys: how Douglas County students are helping out area animal shelters

Stacey Rickard, the agriculture teacher, is literally and figuratively adding tools to their toolboxes.

“If you help a student feel a part of the community then they’ll want to come back here and stay,” she said. “Maybe I’ll teach their kid someday!”

Keeping their work in Central Illinois is exactly what they’re doing. The beds will go to a few shelters, one of those in Vermilion County.

“It’s super exciting for us. We try to enrich their lives as much as possible while they’re here,” Kathleen Orcutt, the adoptions manager at the Vermilion County Animal Shelter, said.

She said that’s key to making sure the animals are happy.

Vermilion Co. Animal Shelter in need of food and fosters

“A lot of dogs when they’re in the shelter, they either become depressed and shut down or they can get worked up and anxious,” Orcutt explained. “We do a lot of things to try to prevent putting them on medication.”

The high schoolers are happy to make a difference for so many furry friends.

“I just think it’s cool how our school is able to provide this and help the community and be a part of something bigger than ourselves,” Russell said.

Scam alert: Unpaid toll texts circulating across Illinois

Rickard is cheering them on along the way, while they continue living to serve.

The dog beds will be delivered in the next few days as the weather improves. The shelter in Danville isn’t the only one benefitting. The students will donate beds and other necessities to a few other Central Illinois shelters but want it to be a surprise.

The work doesn’t end there, any leftover tires not used to make beds will be used to create garden beds.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.

What difference does Dr. Goodall believe every individual is capable of?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The MiniCop event is an example of a conservation-focused activity, where students participate in litter picking, craft bird nesting boxes, and learn about tree identification and forest fire risks.

Title:

Content: Inveralmond Community High School (ICHS) recently held the second edition of its ‘MiniCop’ event engaging pupils on all matters environment and sustainability.

This built on the schools second successful spring event and centred on environmental sustainability, this gathering spotlighted issues such as nature, wildlife, and notably, litter within the school and wider community.

Students from ICHS and cluster primary schools took part in activities such as litter picking, crafting bird nesting boxes, tree identification in our local forests, and learning about forest fire risks. Pupils also delved into the significance of recycling and proper waste management.

Participants were supported on the day by representatives from a wide variety of organisations including the council, Woodland Trust, West Lothian Litter Pickers, and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

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What will decrease anxiety according to Dr. Goodall?

young people working together on conservation projects

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

ecological literacy
drive to protect the earth

Learning about invasive species, such as Japanese barberry, and participating in removal efforts is another example of a conservation-focused lesson plan.

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Content: HAMLIN TWP. — Ludington High school students in Steve Nimcheski’s biology class spent Wednesday learning about some of the invasive species that are located in Ludington State Park.

One in particular, the Japanese barberry, is a plant that quickly takes over an area and can choke out the park’s native plants.

Nimcheski said Wednesday’s project helps to foster awareness among students about how to take better care of their world.

The goal for the day was to get through it “with a bit of elbow grease and sweat,” according to Nimcheski.

“These students can help us keep the diversity of our native species alive and well in the state park,” he said.

“Because they live here, I want them to know and understand the history of invasive species,” Nimcheski said. “I want them to know how the invasive species are affecting the park and I am hoping they will become good stewards of the park.”

Park interpreter Alan Wernette spoke with the students about the types of invasive species currently found in the area, and also took them on a nature hike to talk with them about the damage the invasives can cause to park ecosystems.

Emily Leslie, the Southwest Michigan natural resource steward, worked with the students on how to identify the Japanese barberry, emphasizing that education was the purpose, including “why the plant is harmful to the park and how to identify the plant.”

“The Japanese barberry comes into an area, takes over keeping our native plants from growing,” she said.

Leslie also noted that the plant is unique because it harbors higher populations of ticks.

Leslie said the students were identifying the plants for removal along the Skyline Trail.

“Once we cut them down we will follow up with a chemical treatment to make sure the plants do not keep growing,” she said.

Leslie hopes students will leave with a greater awareness of what they’re seeing when they’re out in the park.

“Maybe students will want to get involved and someday work in the outdoors environment or just volunteer time to help with issues like invasives,” she said.

Leslie said Ludington has quite a bit of barberry in the park, but it’s a “beautiful park, overall, and does not have many invasive plants.”

“It is a really nice place to see a high quality natural area,” she said.

Nimcheski added that if just one of the students signs up to volunteer with invasive species removal efforts, at the park or elsewhere, he’ll have done his job as a teacher.

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young people working together on conservation projects

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

ecological literacy
drive to protect the earth

Students can also participate in conservation carnivals, where they can design interactive game booths and learn about recycling and waste reduction.

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Content: More than 3,500 teachers and students participate in Ocean Park Conservation Carnival to share environmental information
July 06, 2024 12: 32
Eastern Network Television
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Students design interactive game booths to showcase conservation projects and environmental achievements. (photo by Wong Chung-man)
Ocean Park today (6th) hosted the “Ocean Park Conservation Alliance 2024 Award Presentation Ceremony ” cum“ Ocean Park Conservation Carnival ”, which was attended by more than 3,500 teachers and students. At the award presentation ceremony, students were commended for their environmental efforts in the past year.
One of the Alliance ’ s activities, SGREEN Recycling Campus, successfully collected 2,358 litres of plastic, 27,000 kg of paper and 3,035 kg of aluminum cans at the Alliance schools in the past academic year.
Participating students said they learned that recycling, recycling and waste reduction can protect the planet.
In the past year, Ocean Park Conservation Alliance has held three flagship events, including “SGREEN Recycling Campus ”,“ Low Carbon, No Way! Day ” and “City Challenge 2024 ”.
During the CarbonCare Day, the Queen Elizabeth Secondary School Alumni Association Primary School also used hydroponic technology to grow lettuce in the school and share it with the elderly in the community.
In addition to the above activities, 37 allied schools participated in the Ocean Park Conservation Carnival today to showcase their conservation plans and environmental achievements through interactive game booths.
A K3 student from Chui Lam Estate Baptist Church Kindergarten, Tseng Chiu-yin, said that the event had taught her how to reuse, recycle and reduce waste to protect the planet, and she was happy to share this information with more people through her own game booth.

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What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The Marine Ecology Classroom provides hands-on learning for high school students, where they can learn about coral breeding and conservation, and monitor water level and temperature through mobile apps.

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Content: Campus Corner ｜ Yan Chai Hospital NICE Po Memorial Secondary School Opens "Marine Ecology Classroom"
Author: School Submission
Published: Updated:
Environmental protection and sustainable development are important issues in today ’ s society.
Sai Kung District Subsidized Secondary School Yan Chai Hospital Ren Tse Po Memorial Secondary School has invested about $200,000 to develop and set up a “Marine Ecology Classroom ” to connect students at all levels with the understanding of marine ecology, including providing junior high school students with realistic observation of marine life and understanding of biodiversity; and high school students understand the role of coral reefs in maintaining ecological balance through coral breeding.
The “Ocean Ecology Classroom ” also uses school-based technology for research and development, including IoT technology, Arduino programming, etc. Students can monitor water level, temperature and other data through the mobile app, and use the mobile phone to remotely control water, feed, switch lights, etc.
(Content provided by Yan Chai Hospital Ren Tse Po Memorial Secondary School)
Yan Chai Hospital Ren Chi Po Memorial Secondary School ’ s Integrated Science and Biology curriculum often uses marine ecology and the creatures therein as examples of learning. According to Professor Chan Wai-lin, STEM Education Development Coordinator and Director of Integrated Science, the Ocean Ecology Classroom provides students at different levels with realistic observations related to the ocean. It is easier to generate ideas and interests than paper.
"Another example is the water filtration equipment in the fish tank, which used to be nothing but empty talk, but now you can explain the principle of operation to students in real terms, and students can also see the effectiveness of different water purification equipment in real time."
Breeding Corals Understand Different Breeding Methods
The Marine Ecology Classroom provides cross-level learning materials for students at all levels. In the Junior Secondary Integrated Science Course, students can clearly distinguish between asexual and sexual reproduction by teaching them two different methods of reproduction. Students can also try artificial reproduction to understand the process of asexual reproduction. The Marine Ecology Classroom also provides students with a hands-on observation of coral reefs. This is an opportunity to learn about the physical characteristics and habits of adaptive habitats, the interrelationships among coral reef organisms, the importance of biodiversity, and the importance of coral conservation by learning about the role of coral reefs in maintaining ecological balance.
Professor Au Kwok-wai, Director of Biology and Science Learning Area Co-ordinator, said that the school was one of the first schools to participate in the Coral Conservation Education Programme co-organised by the Faculty of Life Sciences, the Coral School and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Teachers and students cultivate beneficial nitrifying bacteria in the coral tanks on the campus. When the coral tanks meet the water quality requirements, the school receives about 20 pieces of local coral debris and begins the coral culture process for about eight months.
The primary responsibility for coral conservation lies with Secondary Four students. Teachers and students are responsible for the daily care of coral, including regular monitoring of water quality, coral health and submission of data.
Mr. Ou said that the original plan was for the students to follow the CUHK team to the sea area around the Chimen Strait where the corals were placed, to see the corals carefully taken care of and returned to the sea by professional divers, but it was not arranged under the epidemic.
Students participate in CUHK coral culture Global warming impacts marine ecology
Ms Tam, a Form 5 student involved in the whole process of coral cultivation, said that although she knew that corals were an important part of the ocean, she had never touched coral bodies in the past.
Through the school ’ s “Marine Ecology Classroom ” and participating in the“ Coral Cultivation Campus Project ”, she was able to get close to the coral and carry out daily care work for the coral, so that the healthy growth of the coral can be ensured and eventually returned to the sea.
Ms Tam, who studied biology, began to participate in the coral culture project. She said that she had encountered an impressive accident during the breeding process. "After returning to school after the holidays, she found that the LED lamp used in the coral tank fell into the fish culture tank, worried about the health of the coral, and finally decided to send the coral back to CUHK for treatment.
She said that after participating in the school ’ s environmental conservation activities, she understood that marine pollution caused a lot of damage to coral.
If you can successfully enter university, you want to focus on the field of biological research and contribute to environmental conservation.
Wu, who also attaches great importance to environmental protection, said that in the past, she participated in the water quality testing activities of Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, saw the real coral ecology in the ocean, and was worried about the increasing coral bleaching under global warming, and decided to do a little for conservation.
She was delighted to see coral growth through the weekly monitoring of coral growth in her school.
Marine ecology classroom with school-based scientific research mobile app full monitoring
“Ocean Ecology Classroom ” uses school-based technologies, including IoT and Arduino programming. Students can monitor water level, temperature and other data through mobile apps, and use mobile phones to remotely control water, feed, switch lights, etc., while using Arduino programming, they can control peristaltic pumps to replenish trace elements.
In the research and development process, students are all using open source software, and can apply the relevant research results to their homes or other places where they need it, such as the fish tank of their parents' company.
Vice Principal Kuo hopes that through the Ocean Life Classroom, students can apply STEM technology throughout the secondary school stage to gain a systematic and interdisciplinary understanding of environmental conservation and contribute to the sustainable development of the planet.
He added that the school had arranged visits to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park in the past to help students understand the importance of marine safety.
However, in the past two years, students have not been arranged to visit places outside Hong Kong. “I hope that after the epidemic has eased, exchange activities can be rescheduled, such as visiting coral conservation areas in the Mainland, so that students can get in touch with and understand coral conservation and enhance conservation awareness. ”
Mr Chan also said that in order to cultivate students' concern for environmental protection and ecological sustainable development, the school has also made great efforts to develop projects related to garden conservation. "In 18 years, typhoon mangoku has destroyed a lot of trees, and some of the trees in the school can not be spared. The Department's Garden Waste Recycling Centre in Tuen Mun has applied for recycled wood to make solid wood furniture to encourage students to contribute more to environmental conservation by taking part in the process of" upgrading and recycling ".
(Content provided by Yan Chai Hospital Ren Tse Po Memorial Secondary School)
All secondary schools, primary schools and kindergartens are welcome to submit their contributions to Campus 01. Interested parties can send their contributions and photos to campus01 @ hk01.com.
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What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The bear conservation unit in the curriculum of Kodiak High School is another example of a conservation-focused lesson plan, where students can learn about bear physiology and ecology, and practice bear encounters with simulations and costumes.

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Content: Kodiak High School teacher Sarah Nugent added a new unit to her curriculum dedicated solely to bears. Nugent worked with the Kodiak Brown Bear Trust — an organization dedicated to the conservation of Kodiak bears — to pilot an educational program to teach high school students about the bears and how to live alongside them.

The Brown Bear Trust brought in lecturers to Nugent’s ninth and tenth grade biology classes every Friday throughout April and on the first Friday of May, according to Nugent. These lessons have gone over bear physiology, ecology, the history of bears in Kodiak and, during the last lesson, bear safety.

Nugent grew up fishing and hiking in Kodiak, so she knows firsthand the importance of protecting both the bears and people in the Kodiak community, she said.

“There are a lot of hiking programs that are out there — and they’re wonderful — but they bring a lot more people to bear country,” Nugent said. “This is my chance to educate my students.”

One of Nugent’s high school teachers is a part of this program: Jennifer Fogle-Smith. In addition to being a retired teacher, Fogle-Smith is a photographer and leads bear viewing tours on the island.

Fogle-Smith and bear group member Jennifer Culbertson lead tours together through Kodiak Island Expedition. The two once guided photographers from the British Broadcasting Channel.

Fogle-Smith spoke to the high schoolers a number of times and led the last class that they had about bear safety. During that course, she went through the do’s and do-not’s of bear encounters. Do carry bear spray, keep all packs on you at all times, keep food in closed cars, she told the class. Do not scream, run, get afraid when the bear is standing on two legs, because that means that they’re curious, she said.

She had her husband Willy hide in a closet wearing a bear costume and jump out so students could practice how to act during a bear encounter.

“Our whole goal in the end is to educate students so they can do things to protect brown bears and protect people in our community,” she said.

The students in the course were offered a free bear viewing tour in June, Culbertson, who organized this program, said. The Brown Bear Trust is hoping to continue this program next year and have more teachers get involved, according to Culbertson.

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

ecological literacy
drive to protect the earth