Glencoe is one of Scotland's mountain areas owned by the NTS

An earl will take over from a duke as president of one of Scotland’s major conservation charities.

The Earl of Lindsay has agreed to take on the role at the head of the National Trust for Scotland, which owns some of the nation’s top mountain estates, including Glencoe and Ben Lawers.

He will succeed Richard, 10th Duke of Buccleuch if the trust’s membership endorses the move. He is due to take on his formal role at the charity’s annual meeting in Edinburgh in September.

James Randolph Lindesay-Bethune, 16th Earl of Lindsay is currently chairman of the Scottish Agricultural College, United Kingdom Accreditation Service and the British Polythene Pension Scheme.

He is also a non-executive director at Scottish Resources Group and BPI, an associate director of the National Non-Food Crops Centre and a member of the advisory board of Business and a Sustainable Environment.

From 1995 to 1997, he was the Conservative Scottish Minister with responsibility for agriculture, forestry, environmental protection, countryside, sustainable development and culture.

He is also a vice-president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and between 1998 and 2003 was chairman of RSPB Scotland. He is chairman of the Moorland Forum, president of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society, vice-president of the International Tree Foundation and the Royal Smithfield Club, and was a recent president of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland.

Sir Kenneth Calman, chairman of the National Trust for Scotland said: “Jamie Lindsay has an unrivalled breadth of expertise in terms of Scotland’s environmental heritage.

“He combines commercial acumen with direct experience of policy-making and governance, and I have no doubt that he will be an ideal ambassador for the trust as we move forward in delivering our new strategy.

“I’ve met Jamie on many occasions and can attest to his commitment to conservation and his sense of responsibility for the treasures entrusted to us from our nation’s shared heritage and culture.”

The 56-year-old was educated at Eton and Edinburgh University.