September 30, 2010

Thank you for contacting the Jane Goodall Institute and sharing your views regarding Tanzanian President Kikwete and the proposed road through Serengeti National Park. The Jane Goodall Institute and I share your concerns about this proposal. When I decided last year to honor President Kikwete with a Jane Goodall Global Leadership Award, I wanted to recognize his strong environmental record up to that point. He had supported the banning of plastic bags in his country.

He had worked with the Tanzanian government to ensure that his country participated in international conservation agreements including those that protect endangered species such as chimpanzees. He had taken action to protect watersheds and streambeds at his own political peril. These actions combined represented far more than many African leaders had ever done while in office, which is why in August 2009 I asked if he could accept the award in Dar es Salaam in July 2010.

I was therefore saddened and surprised to hear that President Kikwete recently confirmed his support for the proposed road through the Serengeti National Park. This is in spite of the fact that some 27 respected scientists and conservationists expressed their distress over this proposal in an article in the journal Nature on 16 September 2010. The proposal is also opposed by conservation organizations that have partnered with the government of Tanzania for decades to preserve the natural heritage of the Tanzanian people.

I have spent much of my life in Tanzania, and I understand President Kikwete'™s desire to help his people develop a prosperous economy. But President Kikwete has told me personally that he wants to be remembered as the president who protects what is left and restores what is gone. In light of this and the award I have already presented, I have contacted him personally and asked him to reconsider his decision about the proposed road.

If the President's support for the optional southern route is constrained by available financing, I would be prepared to partner with many of my fellow concerned scientists and citizen conservationists around the globe to approach donor institutions for the necessary capital and technical support. With so much at stake, we could provide a dedicated community of support to help save the Serengeti.

Sincerely,

Jane Goodall, Ph.D., DBE

Founder, the Jane Goodall Institute &

UN Messenger of Peace