Joshua Gilbert is one of a new breed of young, influential Australian farmers: grounded by his love of the land and driven by his desire to see the fight against climate change firmly on the agenda of the nation's agricultural industry.
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For Mr Gilbert, a fourth generation Braford cattle farmer who grew up in the wheat and sheep belt town of Boorowa and now lives in Canberra, a strong affinity with the land was in his blood.
It wasn't until his early 20s as he worked on his family farm in the northern NSW town of Nabiac that he really got interested in the vast potential of agriculture and ways young, educated farmers were responding to climate change and sustainability.
As chair of the NSW Young Farmers Association, he led a push for the NSW Farmers Association policy to shift its climate change policy to one that encouraged greater use of renewable energy.
The win gained the attention of former United States presidential candidate Al Gore, who asked Mr Gilbert to get involved with his Climate Reality Project and produce a video called Australia's Young Green Farmers.
It was his passion for change that saw Mr Gilbert named the Australian Geographic Society's Young Conservationist of the Year on Thursday.
Mr Gilbert, who works as a consultant with PwC Indigenous Consulting, said his win was "surreal" and he now wanted to continue with his advocacy and lobbying for positive policies in the areas of environment, indigenous affairs and agriculture.
"I'm interested in how the three of them can work together; I think there's so much to be learnt in that space."
The annual awards celebrate adventure and conservation and previous winners of the young conservationist of the year award include Bindi Irwin, who was recognised for her wildlife conservation advocacy in 2014.
