Fiona Logan

The boss of a Scottish national park has announced she is stepping down.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs chief executive Fiona Logan is leaving the authority to take up a post with private-sector company.

Ms Logan has been in charge of the national park since 2008, during which she has overseen the controversial wild camping ban on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond and the recent plans to extend bans on campers on almost all the national park’s loch shores.

The authority also granted consent to the restarting of gold mining at Cononish in the shadow of Ben Lui, but little development has taken place at the mine.

She said: “It’s been an enormous privilege to have played a part in the protection, development and promotion of one of the world’s most beautiful and important landscapes, but after six tremendously enjoyable years, the time is right to move on.

“The authority’s entire team deserves huge credit for the progress it has made in balancing the economic, tourism and environmental agendas within the national park and I am very proud of our people’s achievements.

“From the ranger service and the community teams to the planning department and the land management teams, they have shown how forward-thinking and effective a modern national park authority can be.”

Ms Logan has been appointed vice-president for Europe of Insights, a ‘people development company’. Insights said she would ‘provide leadership, governance and support to all regional offices in Europe’.

Insight added: “Fiona is a member of the Institute of Directors and the senior leaders forum board of the Scottish Government, and last year she won public servant of the year (UK) from the Women in Public Life awards.

“Fiona enjoys the challenge of balancing work with a young family, large dog and an unnatural love of chocolate.

“She loves exploring Scotland and the world, walking, skiing, reading and the theatre. She calls herself a big environmentalist and says spending time in the outdoors provides her with spiritual fulfilment.”

Linda McKay, convener of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority said: “Over the past six years, Fiona has provided superb leadership, often during challenging times.

“On behalf of everyone at the authority, I’d like to thank her for the energy, passion and vision she has brought to the role and wish her well in the next stage of her career.

“The authority is very well placed to begin the search for a new chief executive as we continue to deliver our priority of protecting and enhancing this special part of Scotland.”

Ms Logan’s departure is the second of a national park boss in two months. In August, the Peak District’s chief executive Jim Dixon announced he was leaving to pursue new posts.