Whanganui mum and outdoor educator Dani Lebo stands for council

Council candidate Dani Lebo is outdoors in her gumboots when she has a forest school happening. Photo / supplied

With a background in outdoor education and mind for environmental matters, Dani Lebo is standing for election to Whanganui District Council... and she's doing it plastic free.

Lebo has pledged not to use plastic as part of her campaign and instead use old-style billboards and lots of hand shaking and door knocking.

Lebo lives on a small farm with her husband Nelson and two young children.

She has a Masters in International Education, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching and has also done some secondary teaching.

Lebo runs The Eco School, teaching sustainability education to all ages, and also holds forest school sessions for primary and early childhood centres and as a holiday programme.

Forest schooling is about nature immersion and child-led learning, she said.

Her previous work has included outdoor education and guiding, and she answered the Chronicle's questions by email from the United States.

As councillor Lebo said she would work towards a city children were excited to live in and would feel safe and supported, and have safe and clean places to play and learn and that Whanganui would be resilient and its citizens would feel empowered, work together and have their voices heard.

Lebo wanted the council to think long-term and make transparent and equitable decisions.

She expected she would have a challenging time, working with a group of equally passionate people and diverse opinions.

"But I also think that's what makes it exciting. A diversity of ideas is ultimately good for our community, and working as a team to combine the strengths of each viewpoint is the goal."

Lebo said she was very hardworking, and doesn't give up easily. She aims to be approachable, practical, sensible and a good listener.

"I am definitely a true beginner to politics, but I am a quick learner," she said.