Geoff has over a decade of experience as a drone pilot for film and environmental advocacy, alongside another decade in technical weed control. He founded Island Solutions to integrate drone technology for better outcomes with pest plant management and is passionate about raising the standards of invasive species control.

Believing invasive weeds are the biggest threat to New Zealand’s terrestrial ecology, he has dedicated his career to tackling this challenge. From halting logging in Borneo to documentary filmmaking on NZ’s freshwater crisis, he has been at the forefront of major environmental campaigns, influencing policy and mobilising action to protect biodiversity.

Geoff’s approach is holistic and pragmatic. He believes weed risk assessment and control strategy form the foundation of successful native forest revegetation projects. Without a well-designed strategy, even well-intentioned efforts can fail. In his view, sound weed planning is as fundamental to ecological restoration as engineered foundations are to a multi-storey building.

Matt brings deep technical and operational experience to Island Solutions, supporting complex field operations where reliability, safety, and problem-solving are critical. His background spans aviation, emergency response, construction, land-based operations, and ecological restoration, making him a highly adaptable operator in challenging environments.

With experience in aviation engineering and over a decade in emergency response, Matt brings a strong safety-first mindset to field delivery. He has led forest restoration and land rehabilitation projects and brings more than 15 years of commercial beekeeping experience where he specialised in hive management and working within native bush systems. This has given him a practical understanding of forest dynamics, ecological threats, and effective restoration approaches.

At Island Solutions, Matt supports ground operations and drone deployments, applying his broad technical skill set to ensure teams can operate safely, efficiently, and with confidence across remote and demanding field sites.

Peter is a seasoned expert in weed management and forest restoration, with a background in conservation, including kiwi surveying and advocacy to end native forest logging. In 1995, he led a successful campaign against the sale of environmental weeds, recognising the significant yet overlooked threat they posed to Aotearoa’s biodiversity.

A founding member of the NZ Biosecurity Institute, he has worked across high-value sites, including islands and remote reserves, and now, while empowering communities to take action he oversees forest restoration projects across the North Island and Upper south island.

Yanna leads administration, health and safety, and operational coordination, supporting the delivery of field work. Playing a central role in planning, risk management, and compliance and ensuring operations run safely, efficiently, and to a high professional standard.

With a background in teaching and administration and experience shaped by coastal living and surf lifesaving, Yanna brings a people-focused, detail-driven approach to operational oversight. Her calm leadership and strong organisational skills provide the structure that enables field crews and drone teams to focus on delivering consistent, high-quality ecological outcomes.

Warwick brings a strong operational background to the team, with extensive experience as a wilderness guide working in some of the world’s most remote environments. He is highly capable in demanding field conditions across bush, coastline, and isolated sites, applying level-headed judgement and adaptability to complex operations.

Formally trained in outboard and inboard marine mechanics, Warwick brings a technical, reliability-focused mindset to field delivery. His expertise supports safe, efficient drone and vessel operations where equipment performance, access, and contingency planning are critical. Motivated by conservation outcomes, Warwick plays a key role in supporting effective weed and pest animal control.