Renowned conservationist Jane Goodall urges Oregon students: ‘Choose what impact you make’
Conservation icon Jane Goodall made a stop in Portland on Friday to encourage students and other Oregonians to make a positive impact on the planet through daily actions and community projects. ”We can choose what impact we make,” Goodall told an auditorium brimming with students, teachers and others at Lincoln High School. The event was organized by Roots & Shoots, the youth-action program of the Jane Goodall Institute founded by Goodall. Portland is one of a half-dozen basecamps for Roots & Shoots, serving as a local hub in support of community-led projects throughout the state that help people, other animals and the environment. A dozen Roots &Shoots and other environmental clubs from throughout Oregon presented their projects and research to Goodall, who turned 91 earlier this month and spends most of her time traveling around the world to inspire people young and old. Students from Heritage School in Salem told Goodall about setting up bird feeders and boxes and successfully bringing back bluebirds to their school. Fir Grove Elementary students from Beaverton recounted partnering with Urban Gleaners to rescue discarded food that would otherwise go to waste and holding a free food market for their local community. Students at Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School in Salem shared projects that included installing bird feeders, collecting bikes for people who can’t afford them and growing indigenous foods in a greenhouse, among others. And the Corvallis-based Franklin Middle School’s sustainability club told Goodall about planting native plants for pollinators, improving the school’s recycling and composting programs and moving to reusable lunch trays. Other schools presented science research projects and told of their experiences testifying in front of legislators in Salem on environmental issues. Goodall praised the students and said they were among thousands around the world who are doing similar work to make the world a better place. Roots & Shoots is active in 75 countries and all 50 U.S. states, she said. “Young people are my greatest reason for hope,” she told them, “because you’re learning about the importance of respecting the environment and each other.”Goodall received loud applause throughout the speech and a standing ovation from the students. “She represents hope and that we can all change the world even if on a small scale,” said Ella Schaffner, an eighth grader at Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School. Goodall, who is best known for studying the chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, has visited Oregon numerous times over the past few decades. She also befriended three chimpanzees at the Oregon Zoo years ago when the animals were still young (two are still alive) and helped the zoo find funding for a large outdoor area to house the chimps.During her speech at Lincoln, Goodall also introduced several stuffed toys to the students that she carries with her throughout the world to connect people with animals. The stuffies sat on the lectern by the microphone as Goodall spoke and she later told their stories as examples of animal intelligence. Jane Goodall spoke at Lincoln High School's auditorium on Friday, April 11th, 2025.Allison Barr/The OregonianRatty represents the African giant pouched rats that are trained to sniff out landmines from past armed conflicts across the globe, she said. The rats also are now being trained to find rhino horns, elephant tusks and other illegally smuggled items at airports, Goodall said. A piglet stuffy “told” the story of PigCasso, a pig rescued from slaughter by an artist in South Africa. When the artist gave the pig a brush and set it before an easel, the animal began to paint, Goodall told the crowd. Its paintings have since sold for thousands of dollars. Octavia the octopus, another of the stuffed toys, represented an octopus that Goodall said stealthily stole some fish from a tank, carefully closing the lid so that no one would notice. Goodall also used a cow stuffy to tell the children that the world’s growing meat consumption has led to massive swaths of land cleared to grow feed for cattle. The cows also burp methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that warms the planet, Goodall said. But dairy and eggs are also a problem, the conservationist said, because dairy cows – which have a deep connection with their calves, just like humans with their babies – are immediately separated from their calves after birth and most chickens are kept in cages or amassed in large warehouses with little room to roam. That’s why, Goodall said, she is a vegan.But most of all, Goodall encouraged the audience to take responsibility for their own acts and get involved in conservation and community-building efforts in their town or city. Those efforts can make a real difference, she told the crowd, due to the resilience of nature. “Nature, if you give her a chance, time and maybe some help, she will come back,” Goodall said. That comeback may include animals and plants on the brink of extinction, she said. Goodall also praised the human intellect – “if only we use it wisely” – and said efforts to develop solar, wind and other renewable energy are a good start. In the end, she added, it’s “the indomitable human spirit” that makes her believe “we will come through the dark times.”“Every single one of us has that spirit, all of us, but some of us are afraid to make it shine,” she said. “Just know, you matter as an individual, you make a difference every day. Just carry on.” — Gosia Wozniacka covers environmental justice, climate change, the clean energy transition and other environmental issues. Reach her at gwozniacka@oregonian.com or 971-421-3154.Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
Famed conservationist Jane Goodall spoke about hope and personal impact at Lincoln High School in Portland, Oregon.
Conservation icon Jane Goodall made a stop in Portland on Friday to encourage students and other Oregonians to make a positive impact on the planet through daily actions and community projects.
”We can choose what impact we make,” Goodall told an auditorium brimming with students, teachers and others at Lincoln High School.
The event was organized by Roots & Shoots, the youth-action program of the Jane Goodall Institute founded by Goodall. Portland is one of a half-dozen basecamps for Roots & Shoots, serving as a local hub in support of community-led projects throughout the state that help people, other animals and the environment.
A dozen Roots &Shoots and other environmental clubs from throughout Oregon presented their projects and research to Goodall, who turned 91 earlier this month and spends most of her time traveling around the world to inspire people young and old.
Students from Heritage School in Salem told Goodall about setting up bird feeders and boxes and successfully bringing back bluebirds to their school.
Fir Grove Elementary students from Beaverton recounted partnering with Urban Gleaners to rescue discarded food that would otherwise go to waste and holding a free food market for their local community.
Students at Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School in Salem shared projects that included installing bird feeders, collecting bikes for people who can’t afford them and growing indigenous foods in a greenhouse, among others.
And the Corvallis-based Franklin Middle School’s sustainability club told Goodall about planting native plants for pollinators, improving the school’s recycling and composting programs and moving to reusable lunch trays.
Other schools presented science research projects and told of their experiences testifying in front of legislators in Salem on environmental issues.
Goodall praised the students and said they were among thousands around the world who are doing similar work to make the world a better place. Roots & Shoots is active in 75 countries and all 50 U.S. states, she said.
“Young people are my greatest reason for hope,” she told them, “because you’re learning about the importance of respecting the environment and each other.”
Goodall received loud applause throughout the speech and a standing ovation from the students.
“She represents hope and that we can all change the world even if on a small scale,” said Ella Schaffner, an eighth grader at Jane Goodall Environmental Middle School.
Goodall, who is best known for studying the chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, has visited Oregon numerous times over the past few decades. She also befriended three chimpanzees at the Oregon Zoo years ago when the animals were still young (two are still alive) and helped the zoo find funding for a large outdoor area to house the chimps.
During her speech at Lincoln, Goodall also introduced several stuffed toys to the students that she carries with her throughout the world to connect people with animals. The stuffies sat on the lectern by the microphone as Goodall spoke and she later told their stories as examples of animal intelligence.
Jane Goodall spoke at Lincoln High School's auditorium on Friday, April 11th, 2025.Allison Barr/The Oregonian
Ratty represents the African giant pouched rats that are trained to sniff out landmines from past armed conflicts across the globe, she said. The rats also are now being trained to find rhino horns, elephant tusks and other illegally smuggled items at airports, Goodall said.
A piglet stuffy “told” the story of PigCasso, a pig rescued from slaughter by an artist in South Africa. When the artist gave the pig a brush and set it before an easel, the animal began to paint, Goodall told the crowd. Its paintings have since sold for thousands of dollars.
Octavia the octopus, another of the stuffed toys, represented an octopus that Goodall said stealthily stole some fish from a tank, carefully closing the lid so that no one would notice.
Goodall also used a cow stuffy to tell the children that the world’s growing meat consumption has led to massive swaths of land cleared to grow feed for cattle. The cows also burp methane, a powerful greenhouse gas that warms the planet, Goodall said.
But dairy and eggs are also a problem, the conservationist said, because dairy cows – which have a deep connection with their calves, just like humans with their babies – are immediately separated from their calves after birth and most chickens are kept in cages or amassed in large warehouses with little room to roam. That’s why, Goodall said, she is a vegan.
But most of all, Goodall encouraged the audience to take responsibility for their own acts and get involved in conservation and community-building efforts in their town or city.
Those efforts can make a real difference, she told the crowd, due to the resilience of nature.
“Nature, if you give her a chance, time and maybe some help, she will come back,” Goodall said. That comeback may include animals and plants on the brink of extinction, she said.
Goodall also praised the human intellect – “if only we use it wisely” – and said efforts to develop solar, wind and other renewable energy are a good start.
In the end, she added, it’s “the indomitable human spirit” that makes her believe “we will come through the dark times.”
“Every single one of us has that spirit, all of us, but some of us are afraid to make it shine,” she said. “Just know, you matter as an individual, you make a difference every day. Just carry on.”
— Gosia Wozniacka covers environmental justice, climate change, the clean energy transition and other environmental issues. Reach her at gwozniacka@oregonian.com or 971-421-3154.
Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.