"There was a huge amount of support for a genuine collaborative process to look at the future of the Mackenzie Country," Environmental Defence Society chairman and symposium convener Gary Taylor said.
There was agreement the process now needed to be driven by the local community but with all stakeholders represented.
"All sides agreed that the area is very special - an iconic and unique part of New Zealand in the accurate sense of both of those words, he said.
About 220 people were at the symposium, about half of them local people, and including many farmers despite a boycott by Federated Farmers, whose vice-president, Donald Aubrey, labelled it an "imposium".
Organisers were pleased the proponent of cubicle dairying farming in the Omarama and Ohau regions, Richard Peacocke, took part and was supportive of the collaborative approach proposed by EDS and symposium partners.
At the symposium Minister for the Environment Nick Smith encouraged a collaborative approach and intimated Government funding might be available to support the process.
He said the area would be subject to litigation for a long time and trying to build a consensus on the way forward would be the Government's preferred approach.
Mr Taylor said speakers explored areas of conflict and concern such as tenure review, dairy conversions, water quality and quantity, wilding pines, other pests and weeds, hydro-electricity development, landscape and ecology.
They also analysed the planning regime and its adequacy, highlighting areas for attention.
"EDS is absolutely delighted at the constructive and thoughtful dialogue that took place.
It was good to have the mayors of Waitaki and Mackenzie districts [Alex Familton and Claire Barlow respectively] involved and they agreed to take the idea of a collaborative process forward.
"So we have achieved our objective and kick-started the discussion. We will be looking to others to take it forward from here," Mr Taylor said.
Mr Familton agreed a local group should be formed, perhaps as a steering committee.
"The symposium was a very important first step towards local reconciliation on matters of conservation heritage and sustenance," Mr Familton said.