Blair heads Biodiversity Conservation Trust

When making the announcement, Mr Kean acknowledged Mr Blair's experience in governmental and private sectors extending over twenty years makes him ideally suited to lead the BCT board into the future.

"His strong ties to and deep understanding of the agricultural sector is going to be key in ensuring the protection, conservation and management diversity on private land continues to be a priority," Mr Kean said.

"He brings with him outstanding decision making and leadership skills, and his extensive experience in stakeholder management will prove to be an invaluable asset to the BCT."

Mr Blair is currently Professor of Food Sustainability at Charles Sturt University and co-chair of the NSW Circular Economy Research taskforce.

Mr Blair said he was excited to continue working with the other six board members and executive teams in the BCT as they continue to support and encourage landholders to participate in land conservation.

"The BCT has a track record of providing solutions to private landholders to help conserve and protect their land," he said.

"I am honoured to accept this position and to continue a legacy that has so far committed over three million hectares of private land to conservation."

Mr Blair emphasised the benefit of conserving landscape biodiversity to the wider community but added the landholders do not lose by participating.

"Importantly, the conserved areas provide an income stream for the landholders," he said.

"If we are going to ask private landholders to contribute for the ultimate benefit of the state, this enables them to get an income."

BCT staff are placed around the state and those landholders who are interested, Mr Blair advises talking to them or go to the BCT website.

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