A panel appointed by Conservation Minister Nick Smith will make recommendations on the future of New Zealand's conservation boards.
There are 13 conservation boards across New Zealand, with up to 12 members providing interaction between the community and the Department of Conservation.
However, under Doc's restructuring, many of the boards no longer correspond to a department region. Otago has been split under the restructuring into the eastern and southern South Island areas.
Dr Smith said he had extended the terms of board members until April next year to allow for a transition to whatever structure was decided. A review panel headed by Parliamentary Private Secretary for Conservation Nicky Wagner had been appointed including Waana Davis (North Island iwi representative), Sandra Cook (Ngai Tahu iwi representative), Bob Dickinson (Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board), Hugh Logan (former director-general of conservation) and Michael Fitchett (recreation/tourism sector representative).
The objective was to make conservation boards more effective and integrated into Doc's new partnership model, Dr Smith said.
The panel was to report to Dr Smith by the end of November with a final decision to be made by the end of the year so new members could be appointed early next year. He would like conservation boards to be more recreation focused but he was ''very openminded'' about the future structure of the boards.
One of the questions the board would consider was whether to align boards with Doc's remaining six regions, he said.
''From an interaction with Doc point of view, it makes sense. However, it removes some of the local knowledge if they cover a broader area.''
The Otago board's remaining seven members will meet in Cromwell tomorrow, the first meeting since the restructuring was confirmed.
