João Ministro

Birdwatching and hiking have been his passion since the 90s.
Howadays, however, the themes of the initiatives he is involved in are more diverse, but always with a focus on local development and the sustainable promotion of local resources.
He graduated in environmental engineering in the University of the Algarve and worked in the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve on salt marsh restoration and waterfowl conservation. Later has coordinated the Via Algarviana for the Almargem NGO, where he also started the Sagres Birdwatching Festival and developed a regional strategy for promoting ecotourism and ornithological tourism in the Algarve.
In 2010 he ventured into the business world, setting up Proactivetur, now a travel agency and consultancy expert in responsible tourism and development projects in the interior of the Algarve.
Author of the Querença Project (a non-profit initiative to attract young entrepreneurs into the countryside) he is also one of the responsible persons for the Ameixial Walking Festival, the co-founders of the Cooperative for the Development of Low Density Territories (QRER) and is associated with various environmental organizations in Portugal.