Author: Kira Leinwand

An update from our 2023 annual report. Every individual can make a difference, but community is a multiplier that creates an even broader impact. Dr. Jane Goodall’s early work advocating for the protection of chimpanzees quickly revealed that local communities must be at the center of conservation efforts — who better to protect their natural resources than the people who know them best and have the most at stake? The Jane Goodall Institute’s innovative approach to community-led conservation, which we call Tacare, ensures that we partner with and empower local communities to make conservation and sustainable development decisions that improve…

Jane Goodall Institute partners with Burlap & Barrel to support Tanzanian livelihoods. In western Tanzania, bees are doing more than just making honey — they’re helping local people ensure the future of their community and environment. This week, we’re announcing a new partnership with Burlap & Barrel, a leading purveyor of single origin spices sourced directly from smallholder farmers around the world, to offer honey products from beekeepers in western Tanzania. Balancing People & Planet The Jane Goodall Institute’s trademark approach to community-led conservation — which we call 🔗 “Tacare” — recognizes that local people have to be at the…

Last week, the Jane Goodall Institute attended the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (also referred to as COP16), where we were able to contribute to an essential, global conversation on the future of our planet, presenting on our Tacare approach to community-led conservation! What is COP16? There are a lot of “COP,” or Conference of the Parties, events floating around, so it’s easy to get confused! This event marks the 🔗 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16). It is expected to be the biggest and most well attended biodiversity…

The beauty of Roots & Shoots is that it’s rooted in the belief that anyone, anywhere can change the world for the better. Of course, it’s easier (and more fun!) to come together to make a change, which is why Roots & Shoots USA has been especially focused on bringing our community together. In that spirit, we are so happy to introduce new members of the Roots & Shoots Youth Council!  🔗 Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots Youth Council USA (RSYC) is a group of inspiring young people hand-picked from across the country for their dedication to making positive…

There are so many ways to describe Dr. Jane Goodall — ethologist, conservationist, advocate — but she’s also known as a celebrated storyteller! Since Jane’s wild chimpanzee research in what is now Gombe, Tanzania, storytellers of various media have followed in her footsteps, inspiring compassion and action for this planet we share. In an exciting partnership with Vital Impacts, a women-led nonprofit that uses powerful visual storytelling to support conservation, 90 such storytellers are celebrating Jane with a sale of their best fine-art photography prints to benefit Jane Goodall Institute’s global chapter. As we celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy…

At JGI, collaboration is at the heart of our work! From our community-led conservation approach on the ground, to the global network of JGI offices working together to spread Jane’s message of hope through action, to our expanding family of supporters who fuel our work, we know that the best way to get the job done is by working together. Today, we’re thrilled to announce that we’re partnering with the Bezos Earth Fund (BEF) to further expand our science-based and community-led conservation efforts! Together, we will be putting our energy towards the forests and biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of…

If you’ve kept an eye on our Roots & Shoots social media channels, you may have seen the term “Roots & Shoots basecamp” popping up recently. We’ve been cooking up this exciting new effort for a while now, and we’re excited to share some more information with all of you! Wait, what’s Roots & Shoots? For anyone unfamiliar, 🔗 Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA is the youth action program of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), inspiring young people and the young at heart all over the United States to affect positive change in their communities. Roots & Shoots does…

Through Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots—youth action program of the Jane Goodall Institute—young people everywhere are empowered to see themselves as changemakers in their communities. Members of Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots USA use the 🔗 4-Step Formula to create projects that tackle issues they are most passionate about, from equity and inclusion to animal welfare and beyond! Turning hope into action through Roots & Shoots community projects sometimes takes financial resources. To ensure that is not a barrier to participation in the program and to grow impact, Roots & Shoots offers grants to young people—as well as adult mentors,…

Dr. Jane Goodall has always had a special relationship with trees, from the beech tree growing in the yard of her 🔗 childhood home to 🔗 the tree that survived 9/11. After seeing the depletion of forests around Gombe, Tanzania—where she had begun her research into wild chimpanzees years before—Jane knew she had to act. Forests are home to a diversity of wildlife and serve as one of our greatest tools in combatting the global climate crisis. Jane and the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) remain strong advocates for the protection and restoration of forests by and for local communities who…

Happy Black History Month! While it’s important celebrate the achievements of Black trailblazers every month, observances like Black History Month remind us of the role that stories play in shaping our world to create a better, more just future. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? If someone is around to hear it, but doesn’t record it, then how will current and future generations know that a tree once fell in this forest? By recording and sharing stories of different people from all different backgrounds, we can…