Emilio Laguna (Valencia, Spain, 1961) is a PhD biologist specializing in plant conservation. Since 1986, he has worked with the Regional Government of the Valencian Community (Generalitat Valenciana). He currently serves as the Technical Director of the Centre for Forestry Research and Experimentation (CIEF) and was previously the Head of the Plant Conservation Section within the Regional Wildlife Service.
Dr. Laguna is widely recognized as a pioneer in conceptualizing and implementing the technical and legal framework for “Plant Micro-Reserves” (PMRs). He initiated the first PMR network in the Valencian region, which now comprises over 300 legally protected sites. To establish this network and advance forest and plant conservation, he has led seven EU LIFE projects and contributed to more than a dozen other international initiatives (LIFE, Interreg, Erasmus+, etc.) as an advisor, collaborator, or committee member.
He has an extensive academic and professional output, having published over 1.000 works, including articles, books, book chapters, and reviews, with a focus on plant conservation, taxonomy, ecology, ethnobotany, and related botanical subjects. Dr. Laguna has participated in 120 conferences, presenting or co-authoring 400 papers, and has given 150 lectures at symposia and academic courses to promote plant conservation.
Dr. Laguna is an advisor to Planta Europa, coordinator of the steering committee of GENMEDA, a member of the IUCN Mediterranean Plants Specialist Group, and part of several Spanish commissions on nature conservation. He is also an active member of numerous national and international scientific societies. Notably, he was a founding member of the Spanish Society for Plant Conservation Biology (SEBiCoP) and the Ibero-American Society of Biogeography (SIB).
His contributions have been recognized with awards such as the Silver Leaf Award from Planta Europa for excellence in European plant conservation and the César Gómez Campo Award from SEBiCoP in recognition of his lifetime achievements in Spanish plant conservation.