The world lost one of its most luminous and ardent champions of nature this year. Dr. Jane Goodall, the boundary breaking ethologist and UN Messenger of Peace, passed away earlier this month at the age of 91.
Dr. Jane was renowned for her tireless campaign for a living planet and a more compassionate society and had often said that she planned to serve this mission right to her last breath. She was on a speaking tour in the US when she passed.
Dr. Jane was passionate in her belief that positive change would need to be led by the younger generation and to this end in 1991, she founded Roots & Shoots, a youth-focussed global humanitarian and environmental programme. Roots & Shoots is today a vibrant organisation active in over 75 countries, Malaysia being one of them. It is in this context that Roots & Shoots Malaysia and The Habitat Group became acquainted. Both organisations came together to host a special remembrance event at The Habitat Penang Hill recently (Sunday Nov 9, 2025).
The event brought together conservation partners, friends and community members to remember the late Dr. Jane Goodall and celebrate her extraordinary life and the profound impact her message of hope has had on people around the world.
The remembrance event at The Habitat Penang Hill was additionally poignant as it brings back to memory her previous visit to Penang in 2019 during which she delivered a stirring message to the full capacity audience at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Auditorium. Her visit to The Habitat Penang Hill was more relaxed but equally memorable and filled with opportunities to delight in the discovery and the enjoyment of nature.
Dato’ Sri Harry Cockrell, who is co-founder of The Habitat Group and Chairman of The Habitat Foundation, recounted: “I remember well when Dr. Jane first visited The Habitat six years ago. At that time, we were at the early and somewhat uncertain stage of our journey in establishing this park as a hub for rainforest discovery and nature education. Her presence and enthusiasm assured us that we had made the right decision. Since then, through our Foundation, we have expanded our support to biodiversity conservation both within Penang and beyond, often teaming up with Roots & Shoots Malaysia. It has been a tremendous privilege to have known Dr. Jane. She has been an unfailing source of inspiration and encouragement. We will all miss her greatly.”
The Habitat Penang Hill is part of The Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve which was successfully designated into the UNESCO Man & the Biosphere programme in 2021 and continues to be dedicated to conservation and sustainability initiatives.
TP Lim, President of Roots & Shoots Malaysia shared:
“Dr. Jane remembered her visit to The Habitat Penang very fondly and spoke often about enjoying durians on Penang Hill. We are grateful to The Habitat for agreeing to host today’s event to remember Jane in this beautiful and ancient rainforest. The Roots & Shoots team feels passionate about committing themselves to furthering Dr. Jane’s vision of youth empowerment in Malaysia. Although our hearts are heavy today and we miss Dr. Jane, we are reminded of her incomparable model of service. She would be gently nudging us not to be downcast for too long. To give us strength, we can recall her famous words of encouragement – Together, we can make the world a better place for animals, humans and the environment.”
Roots & Shoots Malaysia is actively working on a number of programmes which include community-based projects in Perlis in partnership with The Habitat Foundation and Manulife Malaysia, outreach and educational programmes in collaboration with Alliance Bank Malaysia, and youth volunteering programmes nationwide with the support of Yayasan Hasanah.
The “Remembering Jane” event began with a guided walk through the rainforest, followed by a Tree Dedication Ceremony led by Dato’ Sri Harry Cockrell and Reza Cockrell, Co-founders of The Habitat Group, together with TP Lim, President of Roots & Shoots Malaysia.
Guests were then invited to create a wreath of remembrance beneath “Jane’s Tree”, a towering century-old tree along The Habitat’s main trail dedicated to Dr. Jane Goodall. Using flowers, leaves, and ferns gathered from The Habitat itself, they crafted a simple yet deeply meaningful symbol of unity and connection with nature.
To close the morning, guests received plants contributed by the Penang Botanic Gardens to take home, a gesture symbolising growth, renewal, and the continuing legacy of Dr. Goodall’s love for all living things.
Source – The Habitat Group