As councillor she had oversight of Zealandia and the zoo, strongly supported the Karori Sanctuary and Project Kaiwharawhara and started Walk Wellington. She was also founding president of Living Streets Aotearoa, helped build environmental care groups from a dozen to more than 100 and numerous walkway projects.
Of her time as mayor she said: "A highlight was agreeing Our Natural Capital Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan which increased funding for pest and weed control, education and community co-operation with a strong scientific basis.
"We subsequently agreed to Predator-Free Wellington, a partnership with regional council and Next Foundation. We added Orua-iti reserve and improved walkway signage.
"In 2013 we approved Capital Spaces" a strategic plan for over 4000ha of open space in Wellington. We followed this with the 2016 Open Space Access Plan to determine future tracks suitable for a wide range of users.:
Originally from Britain, where she studied science, she also gained a national certificate in horticulture from Berkshire College of Agriculture and a BA Hons in philosophy with science papers.
Wade-Brown worked and taught in science before emigrating to New Zealand in 1983 to live and work in Wellington.
She says biodiversity, climate change, outdoor recreation and active transport are her chief interests and she wants to lift the Green Party's profile in Wairarapa building on the good work of previous Green candidate John Hart.
She is aware that Tararua is fighting for greater connectivity and applauds the work of Connect Tararua in achieving government commitment to the building of eight new towers in the Tararua this year.
She was inaugural chairwoman of the 2020 Trust which in 1996-98 pioneered the spread of cable to schools allowing IT access for students. She believes this is even more important now in this digital age post-Covid-19.
She believes physical connectivity is also important and is keen to see the extension of rail passenger services in the Wairarapa electorate.
Wade-Brown is passionate about biodiversity and is using government carbon credits to develop Duntulm Farm, but she says the spreading of pine plantations as former farms go to forest to gain those carbon credits is not biodiversity.
"The Government's Billion Trees programme is a bit of a blunt instrument," she commented in Dannevirke on Tuesday.
Another of her passions is the insulation of homes and she is pleased with the financial support given in the recent Budget and she also wishes to fight inequality by promoting a living wage for all essential workers.
"When I was mayor, the Wellington City Council was the first council in the country to commit to a living wage for all staff including lifeguards and some contractors - including cleaners.
"When these people earn a little more, it reduces their economic stress and also means the money is usually spent locally on basics," she said.
