Roots & Shoots Shanghai

Roots & Shoots is a global, youth-based environmental and humanitarian program of the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI).  It was founded in 1991 when 16 local teenagers in Tanzania met with Dr. Jane Goodall to speak about environmental and animal welfare issues that they personally confronted, but were not discussed about in their schools.  Impressed by the students’ compassion to better their community through grassroots activities, Dr. Goodall assisted the students in establishing the first Roots & Shoots program.

Today, Roots & Shoots has grown its global network to include over 8,000 member groups in over 120 countries.  In Mainland China, there are three Roots & Shoots offices established in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.  In spite of the program’s expansive growth over the years, Roots & Shoots continues to embody the original grassroots spirit as a youth-driven program inspired by knowledge, compassion, and action.

Shanghai Roots & Shoots is a legally-registered, foreign-affiliated environmental and humanitarian non-profit organization in China.  Our mission is to inspire passion for the environment and humanity in the children and future leaders of China through sustainable educational programs and hands-on community service projects.

Currently, Shanghai Roots & Shoots runs seven ongoing environmental and humanitarian projects: Eco-Audit, Million Tree Project, Organic Garden, YES- Youth for Environmental Sustainability Program, No Plastic Bags, Campaign Kid Strong- Building a Brighter Future for Migrant Children and Anhui Poverty Alleviation Program.  All of our programs are sustainably managed— from concept to resource capital procurement to implementation—through use of successful management techniques to ensure that the objectives of each program are effectively executed. Adopting the grassroots spirit, Shanghai Roots & Shoots programs operate at the local level and work with schools, corporations, government, and Shanghai’s citizens to effect progressive changes within their communities.  Over time, these small, yet meaningful changes will amount to a significant global impact for the environment and for humanity.