Ma, Goodall plant trees on school campus in Shihmen

The activity was part of the Jane Goodall Institute's Roots & Shoots Program, which empowers young people to take action and make a difference for people, animals and the environment through a global network of more than 8,000 groups in almost 100 countries.

Ma said during the event that there are 600 Roots & Shoots teams around Taiwan dedicated to promoting the Jane Goodall Institute's Green Thumb Project. One of the goals of the project is to plant endemic trees, such as the Chinese fan palm, on school campuses, he said.

Noting that Goodall has said every individual has the ability to make a positive difference, Ma expressed admiration for her extensive work in environmental conservation and animal welfare.

Goodall, a British primatologist best known for her study of chimpanzees, said she is in Taiwan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of her ground breaking research in Tanzania's Gombe Stream National Park. She is also articulating her vision for the future and celebrating the growth of the Roots & Shoots Program in Taiwan, she said.

She expressed gratitude to the students, teachers, parents and more than 100 members of the program who braved the rain to attend the event.

Without rain, the plants cannot grow; without children, there is no future, Goodall said.

The Green Thumb Project is part of the Roots & Shoots Program and it seeks to highlight the importance of preserving native plant species and greening and beautifying the environment.

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