Has a degree in Forestry from the Higher Agronomy Institute at Universidade de Lisboa. He has been a lecturer on the vocational course on forestry, senior technician in the Confederação dos Agricultores de Portugal, secretary-general of the Federação dos Produtores Florestais de Portugal and of the Associação Nacional das Empresas Florestais, Agrícolas e do Ambiente. He was part of the Forest Advisory Council for the Ministry of Agriculture and an expert on the Forests and Cork Advisory Council for the European Commission. He is the author of the book “Portugal on Fire – how to rescue the forests”.