''The environmental ethos of Otago is something that should be spread far and wide,'' Mr Wilson said.
More work remained to be done to maintain and improve freshwater quality in Otago.
However, he was impressed by the positive and collaborative relationships established between Fish and Game and other bodies and rural organisations including Federated Farmers, and the Otago Regional Council.
Close links had also been developed with Ngai Tahu and other key stakeholder groups involved in rural water quality issues.
Mutual understanding between farmers, rural support organisations and Fish and Game had been built up in Otago, but this level of rapport had not been achieved in every other part of the country.
Mr Wilson was based in Dunedin as Otago Fish and Game Council environmental officer for more than five years, before becoming senior environmental planner for the country's 12 Fish and Game Councils, late last year.
''Freshwater conservation is the number one battle, the number one environmental challenge facing New Zealand,'' he said.
Mr Wilson hoped to raise awareness of the collaborative links built up in the South, and hoped the environmental flow-on benefits could also be gained elsewhere.
In his new role, his main office will be in Palmerston North, but office space has been kept for him at the Otago Fish and Game premises in Dunedin.
Mr Wilson may end up spending about half of his time in Otago due to the new role.
He was ''sorry to leave'' Dunedin, but would be retaining close links with the city.
He said he was ''really excited about the challenge'' of his new job.
His successor as environmental officer has yet to be announced.
In his new role he will be working closely with several other Fish and Game environmental planning officers.
He will take on more of a national overview role, and will work with all of the country's Fish and Game councils and Government.
Relationships between Otago Fish and Game and the Otago Regional Council had improved under the council's current chief executive, Peter Bodeker.
Several recently-appointed ORC directors, including stakeholder engagement director Caroline Rowe, had also contributed to better dialogue and understanding, Mr Wilson said.
He said he had learned a great deal from his time in Otago, and from his close involvement with Fish and Game.
Mr Wilson described its staff as a ''fairly extraordinary bunch of conservationists''.
He said he could not have tried to tackle his new role ''if I didn't have the Otago experience''.
