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FEATURE

FUTURE ECOSYSTEMS FOR AFRICA

By Yves Vanderhaeghen

Ethologist and environmentalist Dr Jane Goodall
recently addressed a select audience of scientists
at the Wits Origins Centre in Johannesburg.

Organised by Oppenheimer Generations Research
and Conservation, the event, titled “Protect,
Manage, Restore”, set up a conversation between

Goodall and a panel of local researchers on “co-
creating future ecosystems for Africa”.

Dr Jane Goodall

he evening started with a welcome challenges include the role of cattle and up to the biodiversity crisis, and so funding
from Dr Duncan MacFadyen, head of wood harvesting in these conservation is becoming more available”. She said that
TOppenheimer Generations Research environments, and also the expectations scientists could provide a valuable role in
and Conservation, who highlighted the of top-end tourists who expect to see directing the funding towards projects
conservation legacy of the Oppenheimer unspoilt wilderness and wild animals and where the evidence suggests positive
family, followed by an address by Nicky who are offended by the sight of human change can be made. Scientists, she said,
Oppenheimer. activity. should highlight what can be done, and
All agreed that even if the ultimate Panellist and researcher Dr Odirilwe engage with solutions even at the level of
objective is conservation, saving Selimane, an agricultural economist based small landowners.
ecosystems, reversing species extinction at the University of Pretoria, asked the Goodall, in turn, is channelling her
or climate change, engaging with human question: “Are we using land correctly?” energies into youth programmes.
needs and activities was crucial. “When In gauging this, he suggested two “Horrified” at the thought of what climate
trying to save ecosystems you start approaches. The first is to use a nexus change will do, she nevertheless believes
with the people,” said Professor Sally assessment of the interlinkages between “we have a window of time to slow climate
Archibald, who leads the Wits-based biodiversity, water, food and health and change and biodiversity loss. There are big
Future Ecosystems for Africa programme. how policy and practice tilt the balance problems to solve, but the good news is
Goodall drew on her own experience in to the benefit or detriment of any of that people are working on solutions, but
support of Archibald. She established her these factors. On the whole, he said, food they need collaborations.”
reputation studying chimpanzees at the production gets prioritised, sometimes In her address to the audience after the
Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, in a way which harms water security panel discussion, Goodall emphasised
where her work provided insights into and biodiversity. And so, if the nexus that “it’s all about this hope thing”. She
the intelligence and similarities between assessment gives a nett negative result, said that her message to young people
chimpanzees and humans. When she first the land is being used incorrectly, and if was, “yes, we have harmed your future,
set foot in the reserve in 1960, it formed positive, then it is being used correctly. but you can do something”. She strongly
part of a large unbroken tract of forest. A It is important to start from an advocates consumer choice as a way of
decade later, the forest had shrunk to an understanding that conservation and forcing businesses to operate in ways
island in an arid environmental wasteland, development don’t need to be separate, more beneficial to overall survival and
trapping the chimpanzees in a habitat that and then ask how the flow of money (into wellbeing. The audience had a first-hand
constrained their range and limited their development for example) is influencing insight into this when they were told not
survival chances. But to save the chimps, the social and natural landscape. As things to drink their water out of plastic bottles as
she approached the villages surrounding stand, said Selimane, global funding flows Goodall was strongly opposed to plastics
the reserve to establish what people 140 times more towards “nature-eroding” because of their harmfulness.
needed. In what Goodall says was the investments, as opposed to “nature- She said in conclusion that she vests
first community-led conservation project building” investments. her hope for the future on several things,
in the world, programmes were initiated Money, the panellists agreed, is crucial including the resilience of nature (“in spite
to provide education, agricultural skills, to saving the environment and reversing of us”), time and help which will bring
clean water and community development, climate change. With a flash of anger, nature and animals back from the brink,
which eventually led to a rehabilitation Goodall said that “if we took the money and innovation.
of the forest and the survival of the from the wars and armaments we could Above all, it is humanity’s “indomitable
chimpanzees. solve all the poverty and conservation spirit”, a quality that sums up her own
In her work in the Niassa Reserve in problems”. Her vehement opposition to pioneering and crusading efforts in
Mozambique, Archibald noted that it was warmongering extends to whom she conservation for over 60 years.
important not just to create conservation accepts funding from for the operations
areas, but to find ways of incorporating of the Jane Goodall Institute, and she Yves Vanderhaeghen writes for Jive Media
and managing human activities within said she had recently rejected an offer of Africa, science communication partner of
them in a way that contributes both to money from the gun manufacturer Glock. Oppenheimer Generation Research and
boosting ecosystems and livelihoods. The Archibald said that “the world has woken Conservation. n

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