Roots & Shoots

Roots & Shoots is the Jane Goodall Institute's international environmental and humanitarian program for young people.

"Roots creep underground everywhere and make a firm foundation. Shoots seem very weak, but to reach the light, they can break open brick walls. Imagine that the brick walls are all the problems we have inflicted on our planet. Hundreds of thousands of roots & shoots, hundreds of thousands of young people around the world, can break through these walls. We CAN change the world." — Dr. Jane Goodall

Roots & Shoots is the Jane Goodall Institute's international environmental and humanitarian program for young people. Its mission is to foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for the environment, animals and the human community. All Roots & Shoots members, from pre-K to university, demonstrate their care and concern for living things through service projects in their communities.

Roots & Shoots members participate as individuals, in local groups and as part of a global network.

As individuals, Roots & Shoots members care about the future of our planet. Roots & Shoots is guided by Dr. Jane's philosophy that "every individual matters, every individual has a role to play, every individual makes a difference."

In local groups, Roots & Shoots members plan and implement projects based on their group's unique interests, resources and community concerns. Roots & Shoots projects address one or more of the following three themes:

• Care and concern for the environment
• Care and concern for animals
• Care and concern for the human community

The global network is made up of thousands of members around the world, making Roots & Shoots a program that unites young people of many cultures in the effort to make the world a better place for all living things.

The Goals of Roots & Shoots:

• To implement positive change through active learning about, caring for and interacting with the environment
• To demonstrate care and concern for all animals
• To enhance understanding among individuals of different cultures, ethnic groups, religions, socioeconomic levels and nations through our global communications network
• To help young people develop self-respect, confidence in themselves and hope for the future.

Together, we can — and we must — make the world a better place for all living beings.


Click here to visit the Roots and Shoots area of the Jane Goodall Institute website >