Goodall Champions Chimps at UNC

Goodall, renowned for her work with chimpanzees, spoke to a full house Wednesday afternoon as part of "A Celebration of Roots & Shoots," which brought different environmental and animal rights activist groups to the UNC campus.

The Student Union auditorium was standing room only for her speech Wednesday. After the hall reached its 775-person capacity, listeners stood outside to hear the speech over loudspeakers.

A lifelong advocate of environmental and animal protection, Goodall spoke about her work with chimpanzees and voiced concerns about the state of the environment.

"We are part of this animal kingdom," Goodall said. "There isn't a sharp line dividing humans from the rest of the animal kingdom."

Goodall told the audience how she became interested in animals at an early age and later decided to leave her home in England for the wild of East Africa.

Goodall has devoted her life to primate studies and has made significant scientific discoveries through the Gombe Stream Research Centre she established in Tanzania.

She said that cultivation of forests has destroyed natural wildlife habitats and that the research center is one of the few places left for chimpanzees to live.

"In some places chimpanzees are displaced because human populations are continually growing," she said.

But working with chimpanzees is not the only environmental project Goodall has taken on.

In 1991, Goodall founded Roots & Shoots, a humanitarian and environmental program for preschoolers up through college-aged students.

Roots & Shoots groups are now located in all states and more than 50 countries.

The goal of the program is to demonstrate care and concern for the environment, animals and the community, according to the group's Web site.

Other events of the two-day celebration included EcoTeam training and a concert by singer and avid environmentalist Dana Lyons.

"Roots & Shoots is really making a difference. I can feel the difference," Goodall said. "It's a very nonviolent program. It's very apolitical."

Freshman Nicholas Grueff, a member of the Student Environmental Action Coalition, which is UNC's chapter of Roots & Shoots, said he enjoyed Goodall's speech.

"I thought (the speech) was great. It was really inspiring," he said.

Sophomore Hailey Krouse said she was excited about attending the speech because she admires Goodall's work.

"I got here early because I knew it would fill up very quickly," she said. "I was lucky enough to sit inside."

Throughout her speech, Goodall commented on environmental problems but offered hope for days to come.

"We have control of the future of our children and our grandchildren; there is no question about it," she said.

"Every single individual matters and can make a difference."

The University Desk can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.