First of all, we wish all of you a healthy, happy and successful year!

Let’s hope 2021 will be the year we beat the corona-virus, allowing all of us to focus again on our core mission: working for a healthy planet where ecosystems and people thrive.

What struck me about last year, was how all of you have handled the Covid-19 crisis. With an impressive show of flexibility, creativity and resilience, you’ve been able to weather this storm. In fact, for many of you, the pandemic added to other crises already underway for a long time — a climate crisis, a biodiversity crisis, and a social crisis with poverty and inequality. One of those ‘other’ crises has been forest fires — especially in the Pantanal and the Amazon. These fires hit every year, but in 2020 they were particularly widespread and devastating. This issue of ‘GO’ will look back on the efforts to fight these fires — zooming in on some of the unsung heroes doing the courageous work on the ground. Apart from South America, we will also look at fires on the African continent, where several partners have set up very successful responses. So, yes — 2020 has been a difficult year for many. At the same time, it often brought out the best in many of you. Unfortunately, the pandemic will continue into this year. We’re not there yet. Let’s stick together, reach out and help others where we can, and cherish what is most valuable: family, friends and the environment that sustains all of us. With warm greetings,

On behalf of the DOB Ecology team: Birgitte, Pablo, Andrea, Scott, Jan Peter, Marlies.