Department of Conservation coastal Otago operations manager Annie Wallace passed on her title to her successor last week.
Ms Wallace, who had held the role since 2015 but worked with Doc since 2005, said leaving the role had been emotional.
Mr Davis, a former Department of Corrections principal care manager, is set to continue this legacy.
"I’m looking forward to trying my best to fill those huge shoes that Annie is leaving to support the team, continue to collaborate and be a collective force."
Recounting her career, Ms Wallace said it was great to work so closely with the conservation community.
"The highlight for me is always the people that you get to work with," she said.
She also enjoyed working closely with local runaka and learning about Ngai Tahu mana whenua values.
Ever the environmentalist, Ms Wallace said she always worked hard to leave a smaller footprint on the landscape.
Over her career, she had learnt a great deal about how humans had affected vulnerable species, Ms Wallace said.
She wanted to encourage her fellow humans to do better.
She planned to embark on a motorhome journey around New Zealand with her partner, Ms Wallace said.
Her final advice for Mr Davis was to "manage opportunities, manage risk and support the people".
Mr Davis said he was ready for a change, having worked a long time with people in a prison setting.
"I was ready for a new challenge and a change in career path, and it needs to be something really special or significant for me to consider that change," he said.
"If it wasn’t going to be tangata, then it was going to be whenua."
When not at work, he was out in the hills or in the sea and was excited to explore Otago’s coastal landscape for himself.
"I love the fact that 20 minutes in any direction you’re either up in a hill somewhere isolated by yourself on the track, or you can be out on the beach all by yourself amongst wildlife."
tim.scott@odt.co.nz , PIJF cadet reporter
