Exclusive: The new head of the organisation that represents walkers in Scotland is prepared to back a breakaway body independent of the charity�s UK organisation to protect what he regards as the most enlightened public access legislation in the world.

The new head of the organisation that represents walkers in Scotland is prepared to back a breakaway body independent of the charity's UK organisation to protect what he regards as the most enlightened public access legislation in the world.

He is angered that staff in the Ramblers' Scottish office in Milnathort were rewarded for helping deliver unprecedented legal rights to walkers by being sacked by London headquarters.

The celebrated naturalist and conservationist Dick Balharry, recently appointed president of Ramblers Scotland, believes everybody who values their legal entitlement to walk in the peerless Scottish landscape, whether they live in Scotland or not, should respond to a call to arms.

He told The Herald: "We all understand we are in a very difficult financial position. I have been involved in NGOs long enough to know what a financial crisis is. But what we now have in Scotland is the best access management in the world, the right of responsible access enshrined in the law of the land.

"The input from Ramblers Scotland, led by director Dave Morris, was absolutely crucial in achieving this right to roam in the land reform legislation. Dave's leadership of the small team of able people was quite outstanding and has produced outstanding benefits for all who seek to enjoy Scotland's beautiful landscapes."

He said it was vital for the economic, social and environmental health of Scotland that the work so successfully undertaken by Scottish ramblers continues.

"Dave and his team's work is not done. The legislation has already been challenged and will be challenged again. We must not only be willing to help protect it, but help develop and improve it so that it continues to be relevant to the needs of our population in the 21st century. That requires a great deal of work by experienced people.

"However, a few months ago all seven of the Scottish team lost their jobs with two, Dave included, having to reapply for demoted posts.

"That's completely inadequate for the job ahead. It is quite clear that the London office simply had no understanding of what was at stake in Scotland. That's why the Scottish executive have no longer any trust or confidence in the chief executive in London."

Mr Balharry said that of the UK board of Ramblers who had agreed to cut the staff, there had only been one member from Scotland.

Of the others, 10 live south of Birmingham, two in Northern England and one in Wales. Four new people had come on to the board in April, of whom three lived in London. "It is not surprising they don't know about what is at stake in Scotland. But we can't stand by and let their ignorance undermine the achievement north of the border," he said.

"If we can't get the support of our London based organisation to defend what has been accomplished in Scotland, which is an extraordinary asset for the whole of the UK, then we will have to look at a different form of organisation here in Scotland that will.

"To do that we will need the support of the millions of people who come to Scotland every year to take advantage of our legal right of access, but we should not be afraid. We must take responsibility."

He said it was possible that the best way forward was for Ramblers Scotland to set up a separate organisation, and the groups in England and Wales doing the same, while still sharing the cost of common services.

There are currently around 8000 Ramblers in Scotland, but 140,000 across the UK.

Dennis Canavan, the former MP and MSP who is convener of Ramblers Scotland, also warned in the Sunday Herald that the independence option could be pursued.

However, a spokesman for Ramblers UK said it was not correct to say both Scottish posts had been downgraded.

He said: "There is one senior post left and one junior. In Wales there were six jobs, now reduced to two. But in England we took the biggest staff cuts, having originally been about 60 we have lost 19. So Scotland hasn't had to bear a disproportionate level of cuts.

"It is highly regrettable but we have been hit hard by the recession, which has undermined our funding sources."