RON HENGGELER

Each October, all fourteen of the WCN’s Conservation Partners gather in San Francisco for the Wildlife Conservation Expo, where they share their experiences of saving wildlife around the world to a captive audience.

They are joined by guest speaker conservationists, more than 40 organizations committed to animal conservation or welfare, and over 1,000 wildlife supporters for a day of learning and celebration.

Dr. Jane Goodall gave the keynote speech at the Wildlife Conservation Network (WCN) Expo in San Francisco.

The filled Robertson Auditorium during Jane’s opening speech.

July 14, 2010, marked a monumental milestone for the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) and its founder. Fifty years earlier, Dr. Goodall, who is today a world-renowned primatologist, conservationist and UN Messenger of Peace, first set foot on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, in what is now Tanzania’s Gombe National Park.

The chimpanzee behavioral research she pioneered there continues to produce a wealth of scientific discovery, and her vision has expanded into a global mission to empower people to make a difference for all living things.

In her speech, Dr. Goodall reflected—both personally and professionally—on the meaning of the past five decades, the extraordinary changes the world has seen since 1960, and the impact these changes have had on people, animals and the environment we all share.

In addition, she discussed the role we must all play over the next 50 years to ensure a better future for generations to come.

Founded by renowned primatologist Jane Goodall, the Jane Goodall Institute is a global nonprofit that empowers people to make a difference for all living things. The Institute’s work builds on Dr. Goodall’s scientific work and her humanitarian vision.

If you have ever met Jane in person you know that she is never without Mr. H, a unique toy monkey with a special story.
Here in Jane's own words is the story of her traveling companion:
http://www.janegoodall.org/blogs/story-mr-h-janes-traveling-companion

I met Jane many years ago at the restaurant where I work in San Francisco.
The first night I met her, I danced with Jane. . .which is a funny story.

Since then, we’ve kept in touch.
For all those years, Jane has been receiving my occasional photos that I share with everyone on my mailing list.

The night chef at work, who has two boys in school, recently told me that Jane Goodall is now part of the curriculum being taught in San Francisco’s Public Schools.

Jane has touched the lives of millions of people all over the world.
Children and young people are especially moved and motivated by her.

In 1991 by Dr. Jane Goodall and a group of Tanzanian students, founded the Roots & Shoots program.
Roots and Shoots is about making positive change happen—for our communities, for animals and for the environment.

With hundreds of thousands of young people in more than 120 countries, the Roots & Shoots network connects youth who share a desire to create a better world. Through service projects, campaigns, inspiring events and an interactive website, Roots & Shoots is helping youth create a hopeful tomorrow. Above photo: Young volunteers from the Sacramento Zoo.

Stephanie and Charlie Knowles with Jane Goodall.
Charlie is Executive Director of the Wildlife Conservation Network.

I shot nearly 1300 photos in six hours on Saturday.
Many photos were taken of Jane with the hundreds of admirers during her book signing.
I’ll be giving a disc of those images to the WCN to post on their web site.

I met Ozzie Zehner while I was photographing Jane at her book-signing.
Ozzie is the author of Green Illusions: The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism and is a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley.

I nominate Jane for Living-Sainthood.
She is an enormous dynamic positive force, changing the world in only better ways.

It’s an honor and great pleasure to know Jane.
I thank her for putting up with me when I am taking so many pictures.

To find out more about Jane Goodall and her work, visit these two web sites.
http://www.janegoodall.org/
http://rootsandshoots.org