Famous primatologist, Dr. Jane Goodall, who is known for her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees, announced that she intends to plant five million trees in 2020. Partnering up with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Goodall has decided to support the group in promoting the 1 Trillion Trees Campaign.
In a statement on her website, Dr. Goodall says,
“1TORG offers innovative technologies that will serve to connect tens of thousands of small and large groups around the world that are engaged in tree planting and forest restoration. Creating this ‘greening global community,’ which will allow for sharing badly needed funding and best practices — just what is needed to achieve the trillion trees goal in 10 years. Towards this [1 Trillion Trees] goal, I am proud to announce that our Roots & Shoots program, which empowers young people in 60 counties, has committed to planting over 5 million new trees over the coming year. Now is the time for everyone on the planet to do their part.”
According to data collected from The World Counts, 13 million hectares of forest have been destroyed both by natural causes and man activities, leading to the probable extinction of up to 28,000 species over the next 25 years.
A 2016 scientific study published in Nature, reveals that a total of 46% of trees have been cut-down since humans started intervening in forests.
Jane Goodall has spent more than 55 years studying the social behaviour of chimpanzees since she visited the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania back in 1960. She has been advocating for animals and the environment and has served as a member of the Nonhuman Rights Project board since its founding in 1996. She has also founded the Roots & Shoots Program along with the Jane Goodall Institute.
As of April 2002, Dr. Jane Goodall is named United Nations Messenger of Peace and is also an honorary member of the World Future Council.
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