Jane in Gombe at Jane's Peak

Tech for Good. Science for Nature.

How the Jane Goodall Institute is Transforming Conservation

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Converting Data into Local Conservation Action and Impact
 Dr. Lilian Pintea, VP of Conservation Science
 May 29, 2025 – 4:00PM-4:45PM

Most of the world’s biodiversity is under the care of local people. How do we unlock the power of science and technology with local communities to improve the lives of people, animals, and their shared environment?

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How We "Science"

Remote Sensing and Mapping

We use drones, satellite imagery, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to:

  • Monitor forest health and deforestation in real time;
  • Map wildlife corridors and chimpanzee habitats;
  • Track the impact of community-led conservation.

Decision Support Tools

We build custom tools with local partners to:

  • Pinpoint poaching hotspots;
  • Predict threats to biodiversity using AI models;
  • Support land-use planning for sustainable development.

OneHealth and Smart Sensors

We monitor the health of people, animals, and ecosystems through:

  • Acoustic monitoring and camera traps;
  • Disease surveillance and zoonotic risk modeling;
  • Environmental DNA (eDNA) and data-driven health alerts.

Citizen Science and Local Technology

With mobile apps and community training, we enable local stewards to:

  • Report changes on the ground;
  • Monitor wildlife and their habitats;
  • Shape conservation plans that reflect their needs.

Gombe: The Heart of It All

For more than 60 years, the Jane Goodall Institute has led the longest-running wild chimpanzee study in the world at Gombe Stream Research Centre in Tanzania. What began with Jane Goodall and her notebook is now a global data engine fueling conservation science.

At Gombe, we:

  • Continue Jane’s legacy by honouring each chimpanzee as an individual, not a data point;
  • Collect high-resolution behavioural and ecological data daily
  • Use AI, drones, LiDAR, and satellite technology to model landscapes and social structures;
  • Partner with Tanzanian institutions to train local scientists and expand ethical data collection;
  • Maintain a massive open-data archive for researchers worldwide.

In what terms should we think of these beings, nonhuman yet possessing so many human-like characteristics? How should we treat them?

Surely we should treat them with the same consideration and kindness as we show to other humans – and as we recognize human rights, so too should we recognize the rights of the great apes? Yes.

Dr. Jane Goodall

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Explore our Science

From the beginning, science has been core to the Jane Goodall Institute’s work.

We continue to build on her legendary scientific contributions – and today, we’re using science and technology in ways that were impossible only a decade ago.

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Discover Gombe

More than six decades of research at the Gombe Stream Research Centre is the bedrock of the Jane Goodall Institute.

We understand the importance of continuing this long-term research, which provides an unparalleled perspective.

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Contact our Teams

The Jane Goodall Institute regularly partners with technologists, researchers, educators, and community leaders.

Let’s build the future of conservation together. We look forward to hearing from you – and to working with you!

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Every month, we send messages of hope, action, and inspiration directly to inboxes across the country and around the world.

This includes information, inspiration, and community action from the frontlines of the conservation movement, as well as occasional updates from Dr. Jane Goodall and announcements from our team.

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