Location Victoria (Australia) Type of business Nonprofit organization | Founded 1972 | |
Focus Protection of native plants and wildlife in Victoria Website www.trustfornature.org.au | ||
Trust for nature
Trust for Nature is a not-for-profit organisation in the Australian state of Victoria which protects native plants and wildlife in cooperation with private landowners. The Trust was established under the Victorian Conservation Trust Act 1972 to enable people to contribute permanently to nature conservation by donating land or money. Trust for Nature has since evolved into one of Victoria's primary private land conservation organisations.
Contents
- Trust for nature
- Vision
- Conservation tools
- Conservation covenants
- Stewardship program
- Revolving fund
- Land acquisition
- Eco markets
- Regions
- Corridor partners
- Interstate land alliances
- Trusts and foundations
- Trust properties donated to the Crown
- Current Trust for Nature properties
- Corangamite properties
- East Gippsland properties
- Glenelg Hopkins properties
- Goulburn Broken properties
- Mallee properties
- North Central properties
- North East properties
- Port Phillip and Westernport properties
- West Gippsland properties
- Wimmera properties
- References
Trust for Nature developed conservation covenants in 1978 as a tool to protect native plants and wildlife on private land. Conservation covenants are backed by Victorian State legislation through the Victorian Conservation Trust Act 1972 and the Trust currently has more than 1,115 conservation covenants in effect which protects more than 47,000 hectares of private land. The Trust has also purchased and preserved more than 55 properties across Victoria through its Revolving Fund, as well as currently owning and managing 46 properties that cover over 36,000 hectares of Victoria.
Vision
"Within two decades, protecting native plants and wildlife on private land will be recognised and valued as a central part of mainstream Australian environmental practice. There will be a shared expectation and responsibility among communities, landowners and governments that significant natural areas on privately owned land should be conserved, just as national and state parks are protected."
Conservation tools
Trust for Nature has developed five key mechanisms to achieve conservation gains on private land:
Conservation covenants
Private landowners protect quality native vegetation on their land by placing a covenant on the title, protecting the land in perpetuity.
Stewardship program
Land management advice and information is provided to landowners who have covenanted their property.
Revolving fund
The Trust purchases land of high vegetation quality and on-sells the property with a covenant attached. Proceeds from the sale go back into the Revolving Fund.
Land acquisition
Trust for Nature acquires land of high conservation value and manages it with the help of volunteers. Trust-owned properties are often used for open days and education purposes, demonstrating land conservation practices.
Eco-markets
The Trust organises native vegetation offset agreements between private landowners and proponents who have an offset requirement. Landowners receive a payment from the proponent to improve native vegetation quality on their land.
Regions
Trust for Nature operates within Victoria's ten catchment management areas, often in partnership with the region's Catchment Management Authority (CMA).
The 10 CMA regions covering Victoria are:
Corridor partners
Interstate land alliances
Trusts and foundations
Trust properties donated to the Crown
Trust for Nature owns properties throughout Victoria which are managed by the Trust and cared for by Friends groups and local Committees of Management. Throughout its history, the Trust has purchased parcels of land and subsequently transferred them to the Crown. Examples of significant transfers include:
Current Trust for Nature properties
Trust for Nature buys and maintains land of high conservation value to protect native plants and wildlife. Trust properties are managed using the best private land conservation techniques to help regenerate native vegetation and protect threatened species.