Sala Enric

In 1996 – he obtained his PhD in Ecology from the University of Aix-Marseille, France.

He is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence dedicated to restoring the health and productivity of the ocean. His more than 120 scientific publications are widely recognized and used for real-world conservation efforts such as the creation of marine reserves. He is currently working to help protect the last pristine marine ecosystems worldwide, and to develop new business models for marine conservation. He founded and leads National Geographic’s Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, and media to inspire country leaders to protect the last wild places in the ocean. To date, Pristine Seas has helped to create 18 marine reserves – some of which are the largest on the planet –covering an area of more than 5 million square km. He is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. His experience and scientific expertise contribute to his service on advisory boards of international organizations and governments.

Pristine Seas is an exploration, research, and media project founded and led by National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Enric Sala. Since its beginning in 2008, Pristine Seas has carried out expeditions in 26 places, 18 of which have since been protected, covering a total area of more than 5 million square kilometers – more than ten times the area of California. Over the next two years, Pristine Seas will target up to six more locations, aiming to inspire the protection of a total of 20 of the wildest places in the ocean by 2020. As an impact-driven global nonprofit organization, the National Geographic Society invests in bold people and transformative ideas with one audacious goal: to create a planet in balance – one that provides for humanity and the multitude of other species with which we share the Earth. We fund hundreds of research and conservation projects around the world each year and inspire new generations through our education initiatives and resources.