Access authorities (local authorities / National Park authorities) in Scotland may appoint persons to act as rangers in respect of any land in their area over which access rights may be exercisable. This is outlined in section 24 of the Land Reform (Scotland ) Act 2003.
The purposes for which these rangers may be appointed are:
- To advise and assist the owner of the land and other members of the public on any matter relating to the exercise of access rights on that land
- To perform any other duties in relation to the exercise of access rights on that land that the access authority may determine
- The powers conferred under the Act in respect of rangers in no way prevents rangers from providing other services such as those currently set out for them in the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967
- Any person who is appointed to act as a ranger under the Act can enter any land on which access rights are exercisable, in order to carry out any of the functions required of them by section 24 of the Act