COLUMBIA - A look at the Department of Natural Resources' board room wall is all that's needed to show changes at the top of an agency charged with protecting and managing the state's wildlife, woods and waters.

Usually, seven large photos of board members hang above the chairman's seat. But Friday, three of the portraits were gone, and the rest of the pictures may not be around for next month's board meeting. The missing pictures include DNR Chairman Joab Lesesne Jr., who was traveling and missed Friday's meeting; former Clemson football coach Danny Ford; and Malloy McEachin Jr., who ended up leading the meeting.

"I think the balance of us will be replaced by August," McEachin said.

Republican Gov. Mark Sanford is replacing board members former Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges appointed.

"The governor has two additional members in process and is actively looking at candidates for the other two remaining seats," Sanford spokesman Will Folks said.

The governor, who took office in January, appointed three men to the board earlier this month. Two took their seats Friday: Steve Davis and Mike Campbell, son of former GOP Gov. Carroll Campbell. A third appointee, Smith Ragsdale, was traveling and didn't attend the meeting.

Some of Hodges' appointees handed in their resignations earlier this year, McEachin said, but stayed until Sanford could fill the remaining seats. He helped select John Frampton as the agency's new director in March.

The transition comes at a tough time for the DNR. Budget cuts topping 35 percent have hurt staffing, Frampton said.

With the cuts came the loss of 79 of the agency's 298 law enforcement jobs, leaving six counties with a single wildlife officer.

The agency also consolidated 17 field offices into four regional offices in Columbia, Charleston, Florence and the Greenville-Spartanburg area.

"I don't think there's anything falling through the cracks because all the new folks haven't gotten here yet," McEachin said. "If something needs to be resolved, I think whoever's here can do it until then."

There are still pressing issues for the DNR's board to address.

For instance, Sanford's office is pursuing a plan to consolidate operations for agencies that have aircraft, Frampton said. The plane issue is important to the DNR because the agency's aircraft is used in law enforcement and DNR work, he said.

The DNR's plane was destroyed in an April crash, which injured two workers, and hasn't been replaced.