Field Ranger/Contracts Lead
Geoff, or Woody, is responsible for rabbit and animal pest eradication operations and managing the contractors for Te Manahuna Aoraki Project.
Over his career he’s been involved in many successful island eradication projects. In the Galapagos Islands he was tasked with setting up a dog breeding programme and training Spanish hunters to use the dogs to clear 450,000 hectare Isabela Island of goats. To date, it’s the world's largest ecological island restoration effort.
On Macquarie Island (half way between Tasmania and Antarctica) he was the assistant Project Manager for a pest eradication removing rabbits, rats and mice from the 13,500 hectare island.
Woody has had many roles with DOC managing pest eradication teams and DOC offices from Twizel to Northland. He even worked as a private secretary for two Conservation Ministers. But he reckons his skill set is best suited for the front line and he joined the Te Manahuna Aoraki Project team in 2022. In his spare time he loves to go hunting.