Gombe 60 & Appleshaw St Peter’s C of E Primary School: the importance of community-based conservation
Flint and Dr Jane Goodall, Photo Credit NatGeo, Hugo van Lawick
Today, 20th July marks 61 years since Jane Goodall travelled from England to what is now Tanzania and ventured into the little-known world of wild chimpanzees. Dr Goodall made ground-breaking discoveries that changed our scientific understanding of primates and their close relationship to human-beings.
Dr Goodall also realised that the chimpanzees and their habitat needed protecting and it became clear that collaboration with local communities was key to this protection. Her work redefined traditional conservation with an approach that recognised the central role people play in the well-being of animals and habitat. This empowering approach to conservation is now carried out in communities across the world.
As part of the (delayed) Gombe 60 celebrations, the Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots programme sponsored local Andover schools to take part in conservation activities at Harmony Woods. Andover Trees United have been working in partnership with the Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots programme for many years, which helps to foster a new generation of conservationists through the empowerment of young people to lead on local action.
Year 1 & 2 pupils from Appleshaw St Peter’s C of E Primary School have been one of the first schools to engage with the Gombe 60 celebration programme when they visited Harmony Woods last month. The children spent time with project ecologist, Alex Marshall where they were introduced to basic field study techniques and learnt how to identify trees, wildflowers, birds and insects. The same group returned to the woods again last week to carry out further studies and they continue to consolidate their learning through school-based activities. Appleshaw Primary class teacher, Mrs Preece said “the site looked stunning with all the wildflowers and the children were really engaged. They especially loved being real scientists gathering data using the quadrats.”
Project ecologist, Alex Marshall said “this really is the best time of year for the children to discover living species in Harmony Woods. The wildflower meadow is in full bloom, the insects are buzzing and the Skylarks are singing and the children get a completely different experience to the tree planting season during the winter which can be pretty cold and wet.”
Andover Trees in Harmony Woods is one of our flagship Roots & Shoots projects. It combines all the elements of a successful environmental mission; partnership with the local community, dedicated staff and pupils; commitment and longevity. We are very excited that this year they will also be part of our Gombe 60 celebrations. Tara Golshan, Executive Director, Education.
'I really enjoyed using the quadrats to see how many species of plant there were in 3 different areas.' Appleshaw St Peter’s Primary Pupil
Andover Trees United project leader, Wendy Davis said “Community-based conservation and inspiring a new generation of conservationists is at the very heart of what Andover Trees United do! Working together with the Roots & Shoots programme we can connect even more of the young people to the local environment; so they can better understand their own impact upon it and the importance of protecting it”
'I loved Harmony woods! I didn't know there were plants like the Yellow Rattle and Birdsfoot Trefoil.' Appleshaw St Peter’s Primary Pupil
The organisation is looking forward to welcoming more schools up to the woods to take part in the funded programme.
About Jane Goodall:
Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE
Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
Jane Goodall was born on April 3, 1934, in London England. At the young age of 26, she followed her passion for animals and Africa to Gombe, Tanzania, where she began her landmark study of chimpanzees in the wild immersing herself in their habitat as a neighbor rather than a distant observer. Her discovery in 1960 that chimpanzees make and use tools rocked the scientific world and redefined the relationship between humans and animals.
In 1977, she established the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) to advance her work around the world and for generations to come. JGI continues the field research at Gombe and builds on Dr Goodall’s innovative approach to conservation, which recognizes the central role that people play in the wellbeing of animals and the environment. In 1991, she founded Roots & Shoots, a global program that empowers young people in nearly 60 countries and since it’s inception in 1991 has greatly impacted youth in over 60 countries to act as the informed conservation leaders that the world so urgently needs.
Today, Dr Goodall travels the world, speaking about the threats facing chimpanzees, environmental crises and her reasons for hope. In her books and speeches, she emphasizes the interconnectedness of all living things and the collective power of individual action. Dr. Goodall is a UN Messenger of Peace and Dame Commander of the British Empire.
For more information, please visit
https://www.rootsnshoots.org.uk
https://www.janegoodall.org.uk