Iola Leal Riesco (born 4 July 1977) is a Spanish environmental and social activist working for European Forest Institute[1] and Well Grounded.
[2] Her educational background is in the field of forest and human ecology.
Since 2003 she has been working to help solve the challenges of integrating environmental issues into EC Aid policies and improve governance in forests globally.
[3] In 2010, she set up with Cath Long the organisation Well Grounded, which provides services and support to African civil society organisations working with communities to help them assert their rights and to improve forest governance.
Born in the city of Lugo, she worked for FERN,[4] Amazonia Assemblea de Solidaritat, Skamot Verd and Asociación pola defensa da ría, prior to joining EFI.