Micro-reserve of flora. A pioneer idea to protect small places which are rich in endemic or endangered flora that 30 years ago began to be protected by the service of wild life of the Generalitat Valenciana. A decree of 1994 of the Valencian Government gave to this theoretical concept a legal form. In the late 1998 and early 1999, the first micro-reserves of flora in the Valencian territory were declared, being pioneer, at an international level, with an innovative formula wild flora’s protection.

Emili Laguna, botanist known for having promoted the idea of micro-reserves, will be in charge to tall us in the first hand the results of this method of protection in this talk that the Botanical Garden of the Universitat de València will host on the 27^th of march. A positive balance, 25 years later, with 304 micro-reserves distributed in 145 municipalities of the Valencian geography and where a big part of the population of endangered and peculiar Valencian plants is preserved.

The flora micro-reserves are, in addition, an international success. The micro-reserves network has exported the model to a lot of territories of other European and Mediterranean countries and has awaken the interest of research and preservation professionals beyond these borders. Currently, the word ‘micro-reserve’, proposed here for the first time, takes part in the technical language of botanists and preservationists around the world.

This year, furthermore, the hikes group ‘De ruta amb el Botànic’ also celebrates this protection formula, has been turned into a protagonist in the guided trips by botanists. Said tips are organised every year by the Botanical Garden. Barx- La Drova, la Granadella of Javea and the Pina mountains are some of the first destinations that are part of the flora micro-reserve’s network.

Emili Laguna Lumbreras is a lecturer of Biological Sciences in the Universitat de València and works as a chief of section in charge of the preservation of flora in the Wild Life Service of the Generalitat Valenciana and in the ‘Centro para la Investigación y Experimentación Forestal (CIEF). He is the author of more than 600 publications and a regular collaborator in media programmes about Valencian plants and its preservation. In the international and national areas, Laguna is known for having protected the botanical grounds by means of a new figure of active conservation: the flora micro-reserve. In addition, he has directed its pioneer implementation in the Valencian territory and the exportation of the model to other regions and European and Mediterranean countries. Laguna directs the main programmes of recovery of the Valencian flora which is most endangered and is part of several committees and international groups of experts in vegetal preservation.

More information: http://links.uv.es/nK2ApPi