A note from the editor Vanessa Byrne / Managing Director
This Autumn marks a very special milestone for us at OTWO. Since our beginning in August 2019, we’ ve worked tirelessly to grow a monthly platform that informs, inspires, and champions sustainability. Now, with this issue, we are proud to present our very first seasonal edition— a natural step forward that reflects the rhythm of the changing seasons around us.
This issue brings together two major features, both of equal importance and impact. Internationally, we take you on an inspiring journey to Lisbon, where we witnessed firsthand how rewilding projects are reshaping urban landscapes. From therapeutic forests to university-led micro woodlands, the work of our partners and guides at Horticul and the broader Lisbon community showed us what a greener future can truly look like when people and nature collaborate. We thank them wholeheartedly for their generosity, passion, and the lessons they shared with us— lessons we hope will take root here in Gibraltar.
Closer to home, we look at the changes on our doorstep, as Gibraltar moves into a new chapter with the EU agreement and its implications for our border and neighbouring communities. Our conversation with Mayor Juan Franco of La Línea de la Concepción highlighted the opportunities, challenges, and shared responsibility of ensuring growth goes hand in hand with sustainability. We extend our warmest thanks to the Mayor for his openness and vision in discussing how this agreement will shape the future of mobility, housing, and environmental protection on both sides of the border.
This edition also coincides with a historic local milestone; Gibraltar’ s very first Active Travel Month.
Over 750 people joined in the challenge to embrace healthier, more sustainable lifestyles through walking, cycling, and active commuting. It has been nothing short of inspiring to see more than 35 clubs from both the private sector and government departments embrace this change, proving that together we can shift habits and improve well-being. Special thanks go to the Sustainable Transport Active Group, the organisers of the World Youth Netball Championships, and our long-time partners AMA Group, whose belief in and sponsorship of our campaigns allow us to keep pushing forward. We are eager to share more on this in our next Winter edition.
Finally, we would like to warmly welcome and thank our new advertisers and collaborators who have joined us in this edition— The Property Zone, Phoenix Real Estates, EY Ltd, Marble Arc and Tbe Observatory. Your support not only strengthens OTWO, but also builds the wider community of sustainable businesses and organisations we are proud to showcase.
Autumn is a season of change, reflection, and preparation. It is a time when nature reminds us that transformation is not only possible but necessary. We hope this edition inspires you to embrace change, whether that means planting a tree, taking a walk to work, or simply considering new ways to live in harmony with our planet.
Thank you for reading, for supporting, and for believing in OTWO. Together, we can make a better world possible. Peace and love always Vanessa x
OTWO 73 / SEPTEMBER 2025 5