In September, conservation icon Jane Goodall spoke to a crowd of nearly 8,000 at Tropicana Field about the importance of engaging young people as we all work to preserve and protect our precious environment.

The response to Goodall’s appearance and the enthusiasm it generated was remarkable as we kicked off our Roots & Shoots Alliance of Tampa Bay. We are one of a handful of Basecamps in the United States that act as hubs for Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, a youth-action program of the Jane Goodall Institute that Goodall launched in 1991 to help young people create positive change in their own communities.

That September summit featuring Goodall, workshops and a day of community action energized everyone as we helped young people brainstorm projects related to the environment and steered them to tools and organizations that could help.

“Dr. Jane Goodall is an iconic and inspirational leader who consistently shares her message of hope for the future, animals, and our planet,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Kenneth T. Welch. “It was an honor to meet Dr. Goodall during the Tampa Bay Hope in Action Roots and Shoots weekend. Through her work, Dr. Goodall motivates us every day to affect positive change in St. Petersburg and build a better tomorrow for future generations.”

Then hurricanes Helene and Milton understandably forced families and organizations to shift into recovery mode. That doesn’t mean we gave up on protecting the environment — in fact, in many ways it has inspired us to keep going. For example, a high school leadership workshop last summer designed a project that students are now implementing with the help of Keep Pinellas Beautiful. It’s focused on litter prevention, dune preservation and marine education. The students had a cleanup event in March, and they will be replanting sand dunes as they develop educational materials about the importance of using native plants to create living shorelines that help prevent flooding.

As April begins another Earth Month, including Jane’s 91st birthday on April 3 and Earth Day on April 22, there is renewed momentum for carrying out existing projects and developing new ones. This is a moment to focus on how we can do our part now to help protect and preserve the environment — and how we can sustain that commitment year-round.

Throughout Tampa Bay, Earth Month provides plenty of opportunities for young people and adults alike to participate in activities to protect and enhance the natural environment we all share. You can participate in beach cleanups, attend the Green Thumb Festival in St. Petersburg or go by the Mayor’s Tree Giveaway in Tampa. You can volunteer to build an oyster shell bar at MacDill Air Force Base, get tips on choosing native plants that attract butterflies and bees, or learn how to do backyard composting. Visit https://tinyurl.com/2uduxh6s to see the full list compiled by Roots & Shoots.

While the hurricanes slowed some of our efforts, they also reinforced the importance of restoring and protecting our environment — as well as animals and people throughout Tampa Bay. Eco-anxiety has been recognized by psychologists to describe the loss and powerlessness so many feel with changes in the climate leading to stronger storms such as the hurricanes our region experienced. We can address that sense of helplessness by providing the tools and leadership skills to young people so they can turn their ideas into action and make a difference in the environment and their communities.

Earth Month is an opportunity to highlight the many ways Tampa Bay residents of all ages can do their part to preserve and protect our environment. But this is a year-round mission we must all embrace, and Roots & Shoots is focused on providing young people with the skills they need to pursue their own ideas and make a real difference. We look forward to holding our next summit during the 2025-26 school year in Tampa. As Jane Goodall says, “Every individual has a role to play. Every individual makes a difference.’’

Bonnie Eaton is Tampa Bay Basecamp coordinator for Roots & Shoots USA, the youth-action program from the Jane Goodall Institute. Roots & Shoots is active in 75 countries and counting worldwide.