Welcome to Project Earth.
Taking collective action to preserve nature – the Opel initiative became an unforgettable experience for the participants and brought about important insights. Reports from an expedition around the world.
Everything is connected: primatologist Jane Goodall talks about nature, civilisation and her beloved chimpanzees. The activists of the Opel initiative, Project Earth, were able to see for themselves if and how environmental protection brings about lasting changes in Africa. (www.janegoodall.com)
UN Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall is the world’s most famous primatologist. In Tanzania she showed the members of the expedition the last chimpanzee sanctuaries.
Janine: I will never forget this day. One of the dreams I had for this expedition actually came true: I met Jane Goodall and learned more about herself and her work in Kigoma as well as in the Gombe National Park. The day started with a trip to the little village of Katango where the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) is conducting a research project on deforestation. While we were exploring the area, Emmanuel Mtiti, one of the great people working at JGI, explained the motivation for this project: they are trying to bring several species of indigenous trees back into the area and teach the local people how to use the wood sustainably (as fire wood, for building etc.). Their most important goal, however, is to resettle chimpanzees in the area. At the institute we met Jane Goodall in person – this woman is a role model for me, inspiring me to become a better person. We were all deeply moved by this meeting.
Vanessa: We saw many good, but also many bad things. It is sad to see the wasteland around here where a huge forest once stood. It shows just how destructive humans can be. One of the best moments for me was visiting the little villages where environmental initiatives take place. I was impressed by how consciously even the children think about environmental issues and how dedicated they are to learning. I want to take this willingness to act back home to Europe.
Conor: It was a very special experience to listen to Jane Goodall talk about the fact that everything is interconnected: deforestation, education, the life of the indigenous population, the global community. Everything has an influence on everything else.
