Trust for Nature (Victoria)

Project specific

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West Gippsland Conservation Fund

West Gippsland is one of Victoria’s biodiversity hotspots and acutely vulnerable to climate change.

Protecting West Gippsland’s Natural Wonders

We all know that West Gippsland is special – a spectacularly beautiful, vast and varied terrain stretching from Warragul in Victoria’s east to Sale in its west, north to the Great Dividing Range and south to Wilsons Promontory – boasting sandy beaches, lakes, mountains and lush farmlands. It is an iconic wilderness area, home to many of the state’s most popular natural places and native animals.

The establishment of the West Gippsland Conservation Fund is an exciting initiative for conservation in the region. By creating an endowment fund whose purpose is to provide secure, ongoing funding for conservation work in West Gippsland, it transforms our ability to protect this wild, beautiful, richly-biodiverse part of Victoria.

Trust for Nature achieved its initial goal to establish a million-dollar endowment fund to provide consistent funding to support ongoing conservation efforts in West Gippsland. We extend our gratitude to the generous lead donor who made this campaign possible by offering to match, dollar-for-dollar, up to $500,000.

Now in its fifth year, the Fund has supported landholders to advance conservation activities at properties across West Gippsland.

The Fund continues to seek additional philanthropic support to grow its impact in the region. With 146 conservation covenants and counting in West Gippsland, the Fund provides a critical opportunity to improve habitat quality and connectedness across this landscape.

The West Gippsland Conservation Fund is administered by JB Were on behalf of Trust for Nature. The Fund’s balance is reflected below.

2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23
$1,010,066 $1,151,142 $1,083,842 $1,124,634
Donate to West Gippsland Conservation Fund
Update: Read the 2022-23 FY West Gippsland Conservation Fund Report

The West Gippsland Conservation Fund will transform our ability to protect this wild, beautiful, richly biodiverse part of Victoria.

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Plains-wanderers

You can help prevent the extinction of the critically endangered Plains-wanderer.

Help save Plains-wanderers

You can help prevent the extinction of the critically endangered Plains-wanderer.

With only one percent of native grassland remaining and less than 1,000 Plains-wanderers in the wild, the protection of its habitat is vital in the fight to save this unique species from the brink of extinction.

Plains-wanderers are ranked number one in Australia and fourth in the world on a list of 9,993 recognised bird species we can least afford to lose because of their evolutionary distinctness.

Trust for Nature is part of a National Recovery Team for the bird which has established a captive program to save it from extinction. The Team includes partners such as Zoos Victoria, Parks Victoria, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, catchment management authorities and national partners.

The bird can only survive if it has safe places to be released – this is where our work is so important. Working with farmers we have protected about 540 ha in north-central Victoria with conservation covenants so far, and as a result of the work we’re doing to raise awareness of the birds’ plight in the area we have recently heard from many other farmers who are willing to protect this bird; but we can’t do this without more funds.

Main photo courtesy Chris Tzaros
Inset photo courtesy Mark Antos 

Donate to this project now
Here is more information about our work to save this species.