Remembering Jane Goodall's Legacy of Hope and Future Focus

A year after the death of renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall, her close friend Henry Breed reflects on her enduring legacy and her deliberate efforts to prepare the world for a future without her. Goodall, who died in Los Angeles, was remembered as an icon who consistently urged others, particularly young people, to look forward and build the future she had long envisioned.

Goodall, who was in her eighties and traveled extensively, once humorously remarked to a young admirer asking about her next big project, "My next big project? Death!" While this statement initially drew gasps, she clarified that as someone over 80, she was curious about this next step. This moment, her friend noted, signaled her intent to prepare the world for her eventual absence and to shape her legacy by focusing on the future.

The connection between Goodall and Breed dates back to 1957, when Breed's mother, Helen Illick, then Assistant Director for Systematic Biology at the National Science Foundation, championed a grant for Goodall's early field research in Africa. This early funding allowed Goodall's mother to join her, a connection Goodall cherished. Breed's own work with the United Nations in conflict zones, including Rwanda during its 1994 genocide, further deepened his bond with Goodall. After witnessing the horrors of the genocide, Breed sought solace in Goodall's experiences, asking how she coped with observing chimpanzees engaging in violent behavior. Goodall shared her own distress but also highlighted the chimpanzees' capacity for forgiveness and rebuilding their communities, expressing a hope that humans might one day learn from them.

As the world shifted and optimism waned, Goodall noticed some young people expressing a lack of hope for the future. Their concerns increasingly influenced her work. This led to the founding of Roots and Shoots in 1991, a youth program of the Jane Goodall Institute, after Goodall met with 12 teenagers at her Gombe research station. The program now has active groups in 75 countries.

During her tenure as a United Nations Messenger of Peace, a Roots and Shoots group built a large dove-shaped kite to celebrate her appointment and the International Day of Peace. Goodall and Breed witnessed the youth assemble and launch the kite, seeing their hopes soar with it. This moment provided healing for both Goodall and Breed, who had recently lost their mothers. Goodall often spoke of their mothers being together on a cloud, watching over them, a concept that became a shared, comforting private joke.

Two years before her death, Goodall captivated audiences with a spontaneous lap around the stage during a lecture, demonstrating an enduring spirit. On what would be her final visit to Manhattan, she and Breed shared a quiet dinner, toasting their shared “cloud contingent” of loved ones.

Just days before she passed, hundreds of schoolchildren gathered in Pasadena, California, to hear Goodall speak. Students from TREEAMS (Trees + Dreams), a group committed to planting 5,000 trees to aid community recovery after wildfires, were particularly inspired. Though Goodall died before she could join them as planned, the students honored her memory and her message of hope by proceeding with their tree planting, symbolizing their commitment to continuing her work. The event underscored Goodall's long-held belief in the power of youth to drive positive change and maintain hope, even in the face of loss.