Lisa and Geoff Whittle moved to Wellington from Tasmania more than 25 years ago, and have made a solid impact in conservation.

Over the last seven years, the couple has ventured into remote parts of the Ruahine Ranges nearly 50 times to maintain 16km of traps.

Their efforts have helped whio, kiwi and other native fauna to recover from predation.

Lisa and Geoff were unable to be reached before deadline, but we plan to profile them in greater depth at a later date.

Runner-up: Mike Joy