Doctor in Geography from the Department of Regional Geographic Analysis and Physical Geography of the University of Barcelona (1993) and professor of Physical Geography at the University of Girona since the same year. His research activity focuses on the analysis and management of the landscape, from the perspective offered by landscape ecology and biogeography. He has dedicated himself especially to the study of Mediterranean landscapes and the Catalan coast. He is the author of several books and articles on these topics, published in both national and international magazines, in addition to directing various basic and applied research projects in the field of landscape, especially in the coast.
He is currently co-director of the Landscape Analysis and Management Laboratory.
He has been director of the Department of Geography, History and Art History of the UdG, from 1998 to 2000.
Director of the Official Master's Degree in the Environment at the University of Girona in the period 2008-2011.
Visiting professor at the National Autonomous University of Costa Rica since 2004.
Representative of the University of Girona in the UNISCAPE network (Florence, Italy). 2006-2016.
Member of the international editorial board of the “Geographical Magazine of Central America”. 2004-2016.
Member of the scientific council of the “Journal of Geography of the University of Sao Paulo”. 2011-16.
Main projects executed in recent years:
• Researcher of the project "Addressing Sustainability Transition Pathways in the Blue Economy Blue-Paths (IMPETUS)". Project funded by the General Directorate of Research and Innovation of the European Commission (EC), Horizon 2021 call, execution period: 03/01/23 - 08/31/2024.
• Co-Principal Investigator of the project "In search of accommodation space for the adaptation of the coastal zone to present and future risks (Coast Space)." Project funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, execution period: 12/01/2022 - 11/30/2024.
• Principal investigator of the project: "Integrated Coastal Management 2.0: Tools to implement the ecosystem approach in beach management (ECOPLAYA)." Project funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, execution period: 2019-2021.
• Principal researcher of the UdG team that participates in the project coordinated with the CEAB-CSIC and ESADE: “Exploring the resilience of beaches within the process of global change: risks and opportunities (PLAYA +)”. Project financed by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, execution period: 2013-2016.
• Director of the UdG writing team of the Analysis and Evaluation phase of the “Landscape Catalog of the functional area of Zarautz-Azpeitia (Basque Country)”, carried out with the consulting firm LKS. Project financed by the Department of Territorial Policy of the Government of the Basque Country, execution period: 2011.
• Director of the technical team of the UdG, editor of the “Catàleg de Paisatge de les Comarques Gironines”. Project funded by the "Observatori del Paisatge de Catalunya" and the Department of Territorial Policy of the Government of Catalonia, execution period: 2009-2010.
• Director of the writing team of the project “Design of a Green Belt for the Urban Area of Girona”. Project financed by the Provincial Council of Girona, execution period: 2009.
• Principal investigator of the project “Synergies between landscape and tourism in Costa Rica: three case studies”. Research project funded by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation (AECI), execution period: 2008.
Main publications in the last five years:
• Muñoz, W.; Garcia-Lozano, C.; Varga, D.; Pintó, J. (2024). Analysis of recent land management initiatives in Nicaragua from the perspective of the "ecosystem approach". Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 354, March 2024, 120285. (Open Access).
• Pintó, J.; Garcia-Lozano, C.; Varga, D. (2023). "Using dune-restricted species to assess the degree of natural diversity of dune systems on Mediterranean tourist coasts". Ecological Indicators, 147: 1004 (Open Access).
• Pintó, J.; Roig-Munar, F.X.; Garcia-Lozano, C.; Varga, D. (2022). "Structure and dynamics of the coastal savinar of Punta de la Creueta (Tarragona) and comparison with the savinars of the island of Mallorca." Nemus, 12: 111-121.
• Pintó, J. (2021). "A coast in regression" In: Burgueño, J. (dir.). The New Geography of Postcovid in Catalonia, 253-266. Catalan Geography Society.
• Pintó, J.; Garcia-Lozano, C.; Varga, D. (2021). "Typical and exclusive vascular plants of the beach and dune habitats of the Catalan coast." Nemus, 11: 69-81.
• Peñuelas, J.; Germain, J. ...Pintó, J. et al. (2021). "Uses and abuses of nature, impacts and management purposes. The case of Catalonia as a paradigm." In: Folch, R.; Peñuelas, J. and Serrat, D. (eds.). Nature, use or abuse? (2018-2019). Institute of Catalan Studies.
• Peñuelas, J.; Germain, J. ...Pintó, J. et al. (2021). "Impacts of use and abuse of nature in Catalonia with proposals for sustainable management". Land, 2021, 10, 144.
• Pintó, J.; Garcia-Lozano, C.; Sardá, R.; Roig-Munar, F. Martí, C. (2020). "Effects of the storm Glòria on the coastline". Treballs de la Societat Catalana de Geografía, 89: 89-109.
• Garcia-Lozano, C.; Roig-Munar, F. Pintó, J. (2020). "Set of indices to assess dune development and dune restoration potential in beach-dune systems on Mediterranean developed coasts." Journal of Environmental Management, 259, 109754.
• Roig-Munar, F. X.; Pintó, J.; Garcia-Lozano, C; Martín-Prieto, J.A.; Rodríguez-Perea, A. (2020). "Analysis of use and frequentation patterns (2000-2017) on the beaches of the island of Menorca (Balearic Islands)". Cuadernos Geográficos, 59 (1): 171-195.
• Roig-Munar, F. X.; Garcia-Lozano, C; Pintó, J.; Martín-Prieto, J.A. (2020). "Spatiotemporal evaluation of the geomorphological state of beach-dune systems using management criteria". Land Degradation & Development, open access.
• Varga, D.; Roigé, M.; Pintó, J.; Saez, M. (2019). "Assessing the spatial distribution of biodiversity in a changing temperature pattern: The case of Catalonia, Spain". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16 (20): 4026.
• Pintó, J.; Garcia-Lozano, C; Roig-Munar, F. X. (2018). "L'espai littoral". In: Folch, R.; Serrat, D. and Germain, J. (coords.). Natura ús or abús (2018-2019), Cap.: 4g. Catalan Institute of Natural History.
• Garcia-Lozano, C.; Pintó, J. (2018). "Current status and future restoration of coastal dune systems on the Catalan shoreline (NW Mediterranean Sea)". Journal of Coastal Conservation, Vol 22 (3): 519-532.
• Roig-Munar, F. X.; Martín-Prieto, J.A.; Pintó, J.; Rodríguez-Perea, A.; Gelabert, B. (2018). "Coastal management in the Balearic islands". In: The Spanish coastal systems: Dynamic processes, Sediments and Management, 765-787.
• Morera, C.; Sandoval, L.F.; Pintó, J. (2018). "Spatio-temporal transformations of vegetation cover in the Corcovado Natural Park, 1960-2014". Journal of Tropical Biology, Vol 66 (1): 352-367.
• Garcia-Lozano, C.; Pintó, J.; Daunis-i-Estadella, P. (2018). "Changes in coastal dune systems on the Catalan shoreline (Spain, NW Mediterranean Sea). Comparing dune landscape between 1890 and 1960 with their current status". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 235-247.
• Fuentes, J.; Varga, D.; Pintó, J. (2018). "The use of high-resolution historical images to analyze the Leopard pattern in the arid area of La Alta Guajira, Colombia." Geosciences (Switzerland), 8(10): 366.
• Pintó, J.; Garcia-Lozano, C. (2016). "Recent historical transformation and current situation of the dune landscape in Catalonia." Recerca i Territori, 8: 82-98.
• Soy- Massoni,E.; Varga,D.; Saez,M.; Pintó, J. (2016). "Exploring aesthetic preferences in rural landscapes and the relationships with spatial pattern indices." Journal of Landscape Ecology. Vol.9,(1)
• Soy-Massoni, E.; Bieling, C.; Langemeyer, J.; Varga, D.; Saez, M.; Pintó, J. (2016). "Societal benefits from agricultural landscapes in Girona, Catalonia-Spain". Outlook on Agriculture. 45(2):100-110.