Jane Goodall’s continuing impact on global conservation efforts remains deeply influential and multifaceted, particularly through her advocacy, educational programs, and approach to civil discourse.

Recent initiatives highlight her active role in promoting conservation in Asia through the "Conservation Asia" project, supported by funding from the 2020 Tang Prize Sustainable Development grant.

This project, running from 2021 to 2025, involves the establishment of Asia’s first primary school focused on conservation and sustainability in Taiwan, called the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy, along with projects in Malaysia and India that engage local communities and youth in conservation efforts, fostering ecological literacy and habitat protection .

Goodall remains a prominent voice warning of the risks of biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, emphasizing that humans are intrinsically part of nature, dependent on healthy ecosystems for survival.

She articulates the urgency for immediate global action to prevent catastrophic biodiversity loss, advocating that society has the tools and window of opportunity to make change but must act decisively .

Her major educational legacy endures through the Roots & Shoots program, founded in 1991, which now operates in over 60 countries.

This youth-focused initiative empowers young people to identify local environmental, wildlife, and humanitarian issues and take tangible actions toward conservation, thus cultivating knowledge, compassion, and agency among future generations.

Goodall advocates positive engagement and hope, steering young people away from despair despite the "doom and gloom" surrounding environmental crises.

She stresses that individual and collective actions, however small, lead to significant change and motivates youth not only to participate but also to foster respectful civil discourse rather than confrontation

[4ba15d10-6c38-48a0-8bc6-a4acdc286647_602215183; f684acbb-658a-47ca-aaad-05e0fb187180_520597399].

Jane Goodall’s continuing impact on global conservation efforts remains deeply influential and multifaceted, particularly through her advocacy, educational programs, and approach to civil discourse.

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.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

Recent initiatives highlight her active role in promoting conservation in Asia through the "Conservation Asia" project, supported by funding from the 2020 Tang Prize Sustainable Development grant.

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Content: • En
Asia ’ s first “Jane Goodall Primary School ” to open in Taiwan
Dr. Jane Goodall (Source Taiwan English News)
The Tang Prize Foundation and Jane Goodall International signed a cooperation agreement today (11) to support conservation and education efforts in three countries: Taiwan, Malaysia and India. The first experimental primary school in Asia focusing on conservation and sustainability issues will be opened in Taiwan. Jane Goodall Institute of Taiwan.
2020 Tang Prize Sustainable Development Laureate Dr. Jane Goodall, who was selected as a Tang Prize Laureate last year, began to use the $10 million research grant from the prize to launch sustainable conservation efforts this year. One of the projects is called Conservation Asia, which runs from August 2021 to December 2025.
The Tang Prize Education Foundation hopes to spread the power and spirit of the Tang Prize to promote sustainable development through this collaboration with the Genghuad International Association, and to carry on the Genghuad philosophy: “Human disrespect for nature has caused climate change and biodiversity crisis, and human beings should take responsibility for protecting ecosystems. ”
The main purpose of the Asia Conservation Project is to support conservation and education efforts in Taiwan, Malaysia and India, starting with the establishment of the first experimental primary school in Asia focusing on conservation and sustainability issues in Taiwan, called the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy.
The second is Project Monyet, which raises awareness about the conservation of primates on the Malaysian peninsula through activities such as workshops and collaborates with scientists to document wildlife species.
Finally, there is the Hope Project in India, which builds a connection between young people and nature through activities such as workshops and nurtures their understanding, awareness and action of nature.
In addition, Conservation Asia will host a Youth Forum each year to help teams work together and share the fruits of their work, produce and deliver impactful and diverse teaching resources and materials to rebuild the lost connection between humanity and nature.
We believe that bringing children closer to nature from a young age will help foster children ’ s ecological literacy and caring for the planet. In addition to establishing a solid foundation in the local area, we are also committed to creating and sharing influential and diverse teaching materials to increase citizen engagement and raise public awareness of the importance of wildlife. Create a vibrant sharing platform through events such as summits, workshops, and more.
She went on to share that Taiwan ’ s first Zhengude Elementary School will guide students to understand the mysteries of nature ’ s operation, allowing children to explore in the learning environment, and cultivate three core principles of knowledge (understanding), compassion (care) and mobility.
Chen Zhenchuan, CEO of the Tang Prize Education Foundation, said that according to United Nations statistics, by 2050, more than two-thirds of the world ’ s population and about 6.4 billion people will live in cities, that is, under the rapid development of science and technology and urbanization, human intensive activities will accelerate the destruction of the earth ’ s ecology and environment and resource depletion, resulting in more green land being turned into an artificial environment. Severe disasters continue to occur, including typhoons and floods, major earthquakes, forest fires, infectious diseases, etc.
Therefore, it is more necessary to solve the problem of habitat fragmentation and maintain biodiversity through environmental and ecological protection education, so as to realize the vision of human beings and nature living side by side.
△ Photo provided by Tang Prize Education Foundation
△ The Tang Prize Education Foundation and Jane Goodall International concluded the signing ceremony of the Agreement on Conservation in Asia today. (Photo courtesy of Tang Prize Education Foundation)

This project, running from 2021 to 2025, involves the establishment of Asia’s first primary school focused on conservation and sustainability in Taiwan, called the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy, along with projects in Malaysia and India that engage local communities and youth in conservation efforts, fostering ecological literacy and habitat protection .

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

drive to protect the earth
ecological literacy

Goodall remains a prominent voice warning of the risks of biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, emphasizing that humans are intrinsically part of nature, dependent on healthy ecosystems for survival.

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 articulates the urgency for immediate global action to prevent catastrophic biodiversity loss, advocating that society has the tools and window of opportunity to make change but must act decisively .

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

Her major educational legacy endures through the Roots & Shoots program, founded in 1991, which now operates in over 60 countries.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

This youth-focused initiative empowers young people to identify local environmental, wildlife, and humanitarian issues and take tangible actions toward conservation, thus cultivating knowledge, compassion, and agency among future generations.

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.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

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

What does Dr. Goodall say about the youth climate movement?

"They're taking action. And they're saying, 'This is our future, and we're going to do something about it.'"

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

Goodall advocates positive engagement and hope, steering young people away from despair despite the "doom and gloom" surrounding environmental crises.

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

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

She stresses that individual and collective actions, however small, lead to significant change and motivates youth not only to participate but also to foster respectful civil discourse rather than confrontation

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

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

[4ba15d10-6c38-48a0-8bc6-a4acdc286647_602215183; f684acbb-658a-47ca-aaad-05e0fb187180_520597399].


Jane Goodall’s continuing impact on global conservation efforts remains deeply influential and multifaceted, particularly through her advocacy, educational programs, and approach to civil discourse.

Recent initiatives highlight her active role in promoting conservation in Asia through the "Conservation Asia" project, supported by funding from the 2020 Tang Prize Sustainable Development grant.

This project, running from 2021 to 2025, involves the establishment of Asia’s first primary school focused on conservation and sustainability in Taiwan, called the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy, along with projects in Malaysia and India that engage local communities and youth in conservation efforts, fostering ecological literacy and habitat protection .

Goodall remains a prominent voice warning of the risks of biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, emphasizing that humans are intrinsically part of nature, dependent on healthy ecosystems for survival.

She articulates the urgency for immediate global action to prevent catastrophic biodiversity loss, advocating that society has the tools and window of opportunity to make change but must act decisively .

Her major educational legacy endures through the Roots & Shoots program, founded in 1991, which now operates in over 60 countries.

This youth-focused initiative empowers young people to identify local environmental, wildlife, and humanitarian issues and take tangible actions toward conservation, thus cultivating knowledge, compassion, and agency among future generations.

Goodall advocates positive engagement and hope, steering young people away from despair despite the "doom and gloom" surrounding environmental crises.

She stresses that individual and collective actions, however small, lead to significant change and motivates youth not only to participate but also to foster respectful civil discourse rather than confrontation

[4ba15d10-6c38-48a0-8bc6-a4acdc286647_602215183; f684acbb-658a-47ca-aaad-05e0fb187180_520597399].

Goodall’s approach to civil discourse is characterized by storytelling and empathy rather than confrontation.

She advises changing minds by reaching people’s hearts, sharing personal perspectives and experiences to foster understanding rather than blame.

For example, rather than accusing others, she presents compassionate observations of the natural behavior of chimpanzees versus their treatment in captivity, which has led to changes in laboratory practices.

This method models civil, constructive dialogue aimed at planting seeds for lasting attitudinal change .

Educational resources inspired by Goodall's work include the recently launched Apple TV+ children’s series "Jane," which aims to inspire children to care about endangered species and conservation through storytelling and engagement with experts.

This series complements Roots & Shoots by encouraging young viewers to take concrete conservation actions.

Goodall expresses an aspiration to expand Roots & Shoots into every school worldwide, emphasizing the role of education in fostering hope and active stewardship .

While Goodall’s impact is widespread and ongoing, challenges remain in balancing conservation efforts with local community needs, as seen in Tanzania, where her Institute’s conservation projects face resistance due to land-use conflicts and insufficient local engagement.

The Jane Goodall Institute continues developing community-based conservation approaches emphasizing collaboration and respect for local socio-economic realities, highlighting the complexity of achieving sustainable conservation alongside human development .

Overall, Jane Goodall’s continuing impact lies in her multifaceted efforts to engage youth globally through Roots & Shoots and educational media, her advocacy for conservation framed with hope and empathy, and her leadership in community-inclusive conservation strategies.

Her model of civil discourse and focus on empowering individuals to act forms a practical and inspiring foundation for teaching conservation and respectful environmental dialogue in a high school setting.

Jane Goodall’s continuing impact on global conservation efforts remains deeply influential and multifaceted, particularly through her advocacy, educational programs, and approach to civil discourse.

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.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

Recent initiatives highlight her active role in promoting conservation in Asia through the "Conservation Asia" project, supported by funding from the 2020 Tang Prize Sustainable Development grant.

Title:

Content: • En
Asia ’ s first “Jane Goodall Primary School ” to open in Taiwan
Dr. Jane Goodall (Source Taiwan English News)
The Tang Prize Foundation and Jane Goodall International signed a cooperation agreement today (11) to support conservation and education efforts in three countries: Taiwan, Malaysia and India. The first experimental primary school in Asia focusing on conservation and sustainability issues will be opened in Taiwan. Jane Goodall Institute of Taiwan.
2020 Tang Prize Sustainable Development Laureate Dr. Jane Goodall, who was selected as a Tang Prize Laureate last year, began to use the $10 million research grant from the prize to launch sustainable conservation efforts this year. One of the projects is called Conservation Asia, which runs from August 2021 to December 2025.
The Tang Prize Education Foundation hopes to spread the power and spirit of the Tang Prize to promote sustainable development through this collaboration with the Genghuad International Association, and to carry on the Genghuad philosophy: “Human disrespect for nature has caused climate change and biodiversity crisis, and human beings should take responsibility for protecting ecosystems. ”
The main purpose of the Asia Conservation Project is to support conservation and education efforts in Taiwan, Malaysia and India, starting with the establishment of the first experimental primary school in Asia focusing on conservation and sustainability issues in Taiwan, called the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy.
The second is Project Monyet, which raises awareness about the conservation of primates on the Malaysian peninsula through activities such as workshops and collaborates with scientists to document wildlife species.
Finally, there is the Hope Project in India, which builds a connection between young people and nature through activities such as workshops and nurtures their understanding, awareness and action of nature.
In addition, Conservation Asia will host a Youth Forum each year to help teams work together and share the fruits of their work, produce and deliver impactful and diverse teaching resources and materials to rebuild the lost connection between humanity and nature.
We believe that bringing children closer to nature from a young age will help foster children ’ s ecological literacy and caring for the planet. In addition to establishing a solid foundation in the local area, we are also committed to creating and sharing influential and diverse teaching materials to increase citizen engagement and raise public awareness of the importance of wildlife. Create a vibrant sharing platform through events such as summits, workshops, and more.
She went on to share that Taiwan ’ s first Zhengude Elementary School will guide students to understand the mysteries of nature ’ s operation, allowing children to explore in the learning environment, and cultivate three core principles of knowledge (understanding), compassion (care) and mobility.
Chen Zhenchuan, CEO of the Tang Prize Education Foundation, said that according to United Nations statistics, by 2050, more than two-thirds of the world ’ s population and about 6.4 billion people will live in cities, that is, under the rapid development of science and technology and urbanization, human intensive activities will accelerate the destruction of the earth ’ s ecology and environment and resource depletion, resulting in more green land being turned into an artificial environment. Severe disasters continue to occur, including typhoons and floods, major earthquakes, forest fires, infectious diseases, etc.
Therefore, it is more necessary to solve the problem of habitat fragmentation and maintain biodiversity through environmental and ecological protection education, so as to realize the vision of human beings and nature living side by side.
△ Photo provided by Tang Prize Education Foundation
△ The Tang Prize Education Foundation and Jane Goodall International concluded the signing ceremony of the Agreement on Conservation in Asia today. (Photo courtesy of Tang Prize Education Foundation)

This project, running from 2021 to 2025, involves the establishment of Asia’s first primary school focused on conservation and sustainability in Taiwan, called the Jane Goodall Sustainability Academy, along with projects in Malaysia and India that engage local communities and youth in conservation efforts, fostering ecological literacy and habitat protection .

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

drive to protect the earth
ecological literacy

Goodall remains a prominent voice warning of the risks of biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, emphasizing that humans are intrinsically part of nature, dependent on healthy ecosystems for survival.

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 articulates the urgency for immediate global action to prevent catastrophic biodiversity loss, advocating that society has the tools and window of opportunity to make change but must act decisively .

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

Her major educational legacy endures through the Roots & Shoots program, founded in 1991, which now operates in over 60 countries.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

This youth-focused initiative empowers young people to identify local environmental, wildlife, and humanitarian issues and take tangible actions toward conservation, thus cultivating knowledge, compassion, and agency among future generations.

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.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

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

What does Dr. Goodall say about the youth climate movement?

"They're taking action. And they're saying, 'This is our future, and we're going to do something about it.'"

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

Goodall advocates positive engagement and hope, steering young people away from despair despite the "doom and gloom" surrounding environmental crises.

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

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

She stresses that individual and collective actions, however small, lead to significant change and motivates youth not only to participate but also to foster respectful civil discourse rather than confrontation

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

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

[4ba15d10-6c38-48a0-8bc6-a4acdc286647_602215183; f684acbb-658a-47ca-aaad-05e0fb187180_520597399].

Goodall’s approach to civil discourse is characterized by storytelling and empathy rather than confrontation.

What was Dr. Goodall's approach when she spoke to the scientists at NIH regarding their holding chimps in small cages?

She treated them as caring and compassionate

She advises changing minds by reaching people’s hearts, sharing personal perspectives and experiences to foster understanding rather than blame.

For example, rather than accusing others, she presents compassionate observations of the natural behavior of chimpanzees versus their treatment in captivity, which has led to changes in laboratory practices.

What did Goodall's compassionate approach inspire in some labs?

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

What message did Dr. Goodall send to the Overhauling EU Farm Animal Welfare event?

Take into account the true nature of farmed animals

What was Dr. Goodall's approach when she spoke to the scientists at NIH regarding their holding chimps in small cages?

She treated them as caring and compassionate

This method models civil, constructive dialogue aimed at planting seeds for lasting attitudinal change .

Educational resources inspired by Goodall's work include the recently launched Apple TV+ children’s series "Jane," which aims to inspire children to care about endangered species and conservation through storytelling and engagement with experts.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

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

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?

This series complements Roots & Shoots by encouraging young viewers to take concrete conservation actions.

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?

Goodall expresses an aspiration to expand Roots & Shoots into every school worldwide, emphasizing the role of education in fostering hope and active stewardship .

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

While Goodall’s impact is widespread and ongoing, challenges remain in balancing conservation efforts with local community needs, as seen in Tanzania, where her Institute’s conservation projects face resistance due to land-use conflicts and insufficient local engagement.

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 continues developing community-based conservation approaches emphasizing collaboration and respect for local socio-economic realities, highlighting the complexity of achieving sustainable conservation alongside human development .

Overall, Jane Goodall’s continuing impact lies in her multifaceted efforts to engage youth globally through Roots & Shoots and educational media, her advocacy for conservation framed with hope and empathy, and her leadership in community-inclusive conservation strategies.

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

Her model of civil discourse and focus on empowering individuals to act forms a practical and inspiring foundation for teaching conservation and respectful environmental dialogue in a high school setting.

Dr. Goodall believed what steps would slow population growth?