The Department of Conservation is to cut 72 fulltime positions in an attempt to streamline operations.
In the department's initial proposal, it had been thought up to 140 positions would be lost as DoC aimed to meet a savings target.
The department is to be split into two distinct teams - one to focus on recreation and field work; the other working to develop conservation initiatives.
Eleven conservancy districts will be cut to six with $20 million of extra government funding, announced last week, allowing more than 60 additional frontline positions to be created.
The Government says there is no question that DoC needs reorganising. Conservation Minister Nick Smith said no one likes job cuts, but the department has a number of vacant positions and extra money.
DoC deputy director-general Doris Johnston said the new model would make the department more effective.
"We're more confident that with the simpler cut-down structure and looking at a strengthened field teams and developing a group that will look at new conservation partnerships ... that we're better placed to be able to do our existing work and to look at growing that work in the future."
The new structure is designed to simplify operations, but conservation group Forest and Bird believes it will do just the opposite.
Its advocacy manager, Kevin Hackwell, said the model takes responsibility away from local offices and will cause confusion over who its staff report to. He predicts there will be conflict between the two teams.
"You'll have potentially one side chasing corporate money and resources, and it will be that the corporates that they sign up are saying, 'Well we're involved in pollution of some sort, we don't want DoC to be advocating as strongly.'"
Mr Hackwell expects that the structure will need to be changed again in the next two years.
Green Party conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage said the new model will leave DoC conflicted, with one side trying to exploit conservation land while the other tries to protect it.
Ms Sage said the split means fewer resources will be focused on conservation of protected areas.
The changes take effect from September. DoC deputy director-general Doris Johnston said the department would work with some staff on redundancy or redeployment options.
"If people want to stay with us and we can find roles for them that they find satisfying then that's certainly our objective to do that. "
Ms Johnston said there are a number of vacancies and staff may be able to be moved into those roles, however redundancies are always a reality in situations like this.
