July 23, 2026 What happens when 1,000 young people come together to celebrate Roots & Shoots Photo: Natalie Nguyen Some days remind you why this work matters. June 23rd and 24th were two such days — when almost 1,000 students from Meadows West Elementary School and Greenway Elementary School in Winnipeg gathered at FortWhyte Alive. And even when the rain came down hard on the 23rd, the students did not let that slow them down. This was not your usual field trip. This was an incredible celebration, when these youth could look back on the work they did with Roots & Shoots and LIVGREEN over the past year, and when they could do what young conservationists do best — get outside and connect with the land. FortWhyte Alive was the perfect spot for this kind of day. The urban green space is on Treaty 1 Territory — on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabe, Ininiwak, Anisininewak, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the National Homeland of the Red River Métis. Just minutes from downtown Winnipeg, FortWhyte transforms former industrial land into prairie, forest, and wetland habitat. This is the kind of place where environmental education is something you can experience. And for almost 1,000 young leaders who have spent the past year building environmental leadership skills through Roots & Shoots and LIVGREEN, this was the only spot where celebrating made sense. Our Canada Programs team partnered with FortWhyte team members to develop an exciting and engaging day of hands-on learning. From shelter building challenges, to traditional Indigenous games, to birding activities, to “critter dipping,” the programming was designed to connect the students more deeply and more personally with the land. What made the day so powerful was not just the programming, though. The students themselves were instrumental. Both Meadows West and Greenway have spent the whole year actively involved in Roots & Shoots and LIVGREEN — designing environmental projects, building knowledge, and practicing the kind of everyday stewardship that Dr. Jane championed throughout her life. By the time they got off the buses at FortWhyte, these students were ready. Instead of being blank slates about to be introduced to nature for the first time ever, they were young leaders who were primed for the day they were about to spend outside. That groundwork was very apparent. Teachers and team members overheard comment after comment that captured the pure joy of the day, including: “If there’s anything cooler than this, I’m going to be surprised!” “This is my favourite place!” “It’s fun here!” “Well, this is the best day ever!” To us, there is something truly wonderful about students declaring — without hesitation — that time spent outdoors can add up to “the best day ever.” It’s an important reminder of what is possible when environmental education moves away from the classroom and into real, tactile experiences with the natural world. Dr. Jane often spoke about the power that young people have, and the need to give them hope. Roots & Shoots aims to do that — to give young people the tools, the knowledge, and the community they need to become engaged participants in caring for animals, people, and the environment. Days like June 23rd and 24th are where that mission can come alive. They give students time to step outdoors, get their hands dirty, and see that the work they have been doing all year long — the Roots & Shoots and LIVGREEN projects, the lessons, the small daily choices — is connected to something larger. By the end of each day, as kids with muddy boots and wet coats went back onto the buses, they were already trading stories about what they had seen and heard. This reinforced what Dr. Jane long believed, that change can begin with young people who are given the chance to see, feel, and connect with the natural world. And now, almost 1,000 students from Winnipeg have that deep and personal connection to the land — and we can’t wait to see what they do next. LIVGREEN is funded in part by the Government of Canada, through Environment and Climate Change Canada. Explore Related Content Dr. Jane, Good News Stories, News and Updates, Other Content A Landmark Celebration Comes to Vancouver – “An Evening with Jane Goodall: Celebrating 90” July 23, 2026 Read more Champions and Partners, From The Field, News and Updates “We’re building something that will last:” Explore our 2024-2025 Annual Report July 23, 2026 Read more From The Field, Good News Stories The importance of nature-based solutions — and listening to Mother Nature July 23, 2026 Read more
