Jane believes that every small action adds up to a big impact. For her birthday, here are a few ways to truly celebrate Jane by taking action in your community!  Jane Goodall is turning 91 on April 3, 2025, and we want to celebrate this major birthday with you! Jane is lucky enough to have an amazing group of supporters who want to help her celebrate with cake and gifts, but the best gift you can give Jane is your promise to help her make a positive difference for people, other animals, and the planet we share.   In honor of Jane’s birthday, the Jane Goodall Institute started the #G ..read more

When disaster strikes, young people have the power to make a difference — and Roots & Shoots was created to help them do just that. Designed to support youth in taking action for their local communities, the program inspires changemakers to turn their compassion into meaningful impact.   In the wake of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, which destroyed homes and businesses and displaced both people and animals, JGI is honored to see the Roots & Shoots community step up. These changemakers are proving that even small actions can bring hope and relief in times of crisis.&n ..read more

In 2024, the Jane Goodall Institute marked a monumental year as we celebrated Dr. Jane Goodall’s 90th birthday, reflecting on her incredible legacy and the hopeful vision she continues to champion for the planet. To commemorate this milestone, Jane embarked on a global tour, visiting 27 countries across six continents — making her message of hope and action resonate around the world. Jane’s year was filled with impactful moments that not only celebrated her lifelong work but also ignited a sense of urgency for environmental action. She took the stage at major events like Climate Week NYC, inc ..read more

The ethologist, activist, and Jane Goodall Institute founder was recognized for her groundbreaking contributions to science and decades of advocacy for our planet. The Jane Goodall Institute is immensely proud of our founder, Dr. Jane Goodall, for receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of her groundbreaking contributions to science and tireless advocacy for our planet and all who call it home. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the United States’ highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security ..read more

Happy New Year!  Here at the Jane Goodall Institue, we’re starting 2025 with a renewed resolve to make the world a better place. In keeping with Jane’s belief that every individual action can make a big difference, we’ve made a few conservation-minded New Year’s resolutions of our own — join us!  1. EXPLORE PLANT-BASED RECIPES  With #veganuary making its annual return to social media, you may have already heard the many benefits of going plant-based for your personal health, the well-being of non-human animals, and the protection of our planet. If drastic changes in what you ea ..read more

This is a message to the JGI global family — staff, boards, donors, volunteers and everyone else. A message to wish you a wonderful holiday season, whether it is Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other religious festival — or just a year end celebration of all the amazing things you have all been doing to make this a better world. I am just back from the most exhausting tour ever — including, most recently, six Asian countries in about five weeks. The usual — lectures, meetings, conferences — and getting together with FRIENDS. Exhausting — yes. But productive, successful — also yes ..read more

With help from photovoice training, a method which pairs photography and narratives to document community needs and resources, the Jane Goodall Institute is sending out roots (and shoots) of compassionate storytelling through our global network!  Dr. Jane Goodall began Roots & Shoots when a small group of students came up to her front porch in Tanzania and told her how they were worried about the problems in their communities. They shared that they felt helpless, and like they inherited so many problems that they could do nothing about. Jane encouraged them to start small, with the i ..read more

Nestled in the heart of Africa, Uganda is a land of breathtaking beauty — a place where misty mountains meet lush forests, full of life. Often known as “the pearl of Africa,” it is not only a treasure trove of natural wonders but is also home to a vibrant Jane Goodall Institute team whose transformative work is making a lasting impact. This dedicated team is creating history and demonstrating hope in action through countless lives every day.   I recently had the privilege of visiting my colleagues in Uganda, and what I witnessed was incredible. From the conservation of great apes to ..read more

An update from our 2023 annual report.  Before she was a global icon, before she was a scientist, Dr. Jane Goodall was first and foremost a lover of animals. Her belief in the sentience and sapience of non-human animals — including one of her greatest teachers, a dog named Rusty — motivated her passions from a young age. The Jane Goodall Institute is proud to continue in this spirit through our work today. Chimpanzees are our flagship species — their status in the wild guides our investments, and we support the entire tapestry of life that makes up their ecosystem.  Explore the 2023 ..read more

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 ..read more