Tributes are being paid to the acclaimed Scottish conservationist Dick Balharry who has died aged 77, having been diagnosed with terminal cancer of the oesophagus.

Land campaigner Andy Wightman described him as "one of Scotland's foremost naturalists." Mike Daniels, head of land management at the wild land charity, the John Muir Trust, said he was an "inspirational personality, a conservation pioneer who in words and deeds showed how Scotland's land could and should be managed for nature, wildlife and people."

Only last Saturday at a special event in Glenfeshie Mr Balharry was awarded the Royal Scottish Geographical Society's Geddes Environment medal in recognition of his outstanding contribution to conservation.

RSGS chief executive Mike Robinson said: "Dick was a warm and generous character and a relentless and passionate advocate for improving and protecting Scotland's natural landscapes. He has influenced, advised, inspired and encouraged so many people and organisations across the whole of the biodiversity and land management community."

He had been a longstanding Council Member of the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) and interim Chairman between 2009 - 2010.

The NTS said he had particularly loved St Kilda, not just for its stories of human drama and tragedy, but for the unique insect, plant, animal and marine life which, with his naturalist's eye, he knew had much to teach us about habitats and the effects of climate change.

Sir Ken Calman, who succeeded Dick as NTS Chairman said: "We will never forget his boundless enthusiasm, friendliness and his deep love of Scotland's natural treasures. He was feisty and forthright to the very end and we will do what we can to honour his legacy as we strive to protect this country's unsurpassable wild lands."

Balharry was born in Muirhead on the outskirts of Dundee where he would explore the woods, marshes and fields, becoming fascinated by nature.

At Glenfeshie he recalled "At sixteen years old, on completion of a year at Dundee Engineering Trades College I turned up for work at an engineering plant. Whatever my destiny I knew then that working in a factory was off the agenda, the noise, the smell of hot oil and cigarette smoke were simply alien and a far cry from my interests, I was gone within the hour."

He became a gamekeeper on an estate near Tighnabruach, a deerstalker in Glen Lyon, and then warden of the 10,000-acre national nature reserve at Beinn Eighe in Wester Ross. He went on to become chief warden for northeast Scotland, then area manager for the government's conservation agency, Scottish Natural Heritage.

After he retired in 1997, he was chairman of the John Muir Trust and president of Ramblers Scotland, and was given an honorary doctorate of science by the University of Abertay in 2010.

In his final speech at Glenfeshie he accused traditional sporting estates greed and causing environmental damage by maintaining "artificially high" numbers of deer in order to make more profit from shooting them.