Pilot program to support landholders with conservation covenants in Gippsland to deliver on-ground conservation works.

Landholder Support Program

We all know that Gippsland is special – spectacularly beautiful, vast and varied terrain stretching from the Victorian border in the east to Warragul in the west, winding through the Great Dividing Range in the north and encompassing Wilson’s Promontory in the south– boasting sandy beaches, towering forests, lakes, mountains and lush rainforest. It is an iconic wilderness area, home to many of the state’s most popular natural places and native animals. Trust for Nature has worked with private landholders in Gippsland for over 50 years, helping ensure the incredible nature in this area remains intact and healthy for future generations.  

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Conservation covenants
Gippsland conservation Fund
Managing your covenant

Increasing support for covenantors

One of Trust for Nature’s top priorities is helping landholders to restore, enhance and protect habitat on private land to create safe havens for plants and animals. However, over the past couple of years, landholders have expressed the need for increased support for on-ground works to better manage, protect and restore habitat on their land. The Landholder Support Program is designed to meet this need and support our community. 

The pilot Landholder Support Program invites eligible landholders to apply for between $1,000-$5,000 for essential on-ground conservation works on their property.  

This program is an extension of the Gippsland Conservation Fund, which has helped Trust for Nature provide on-ground conservation works, landholder stewardship and engagement to advance conservation on 308 covenants in the area. The Gippsland Conservation Fund was established thanks to a generous donor, who is passionate about improving habitat quality, protection and connectedness across our beautiful Gippsland landscapes. The Fund will allocate up to $50,000 for the pilot Landholder Support Program. 

How to apply

Landholders with conservation covenants in the Gippsland region are invited to submit an application below for works such as weed control, the purchase of plants and the use of a contractor for revegetation, adding exclusion fencing and some other environmentally beneficial works.

Please note, Trust for Nature will only pay contractor invoices and not the landholder directly. 

This program will support landscape scale restoration and ensure the health of this important landscape for both people and native wildlife. 

Please read the FAQs below thoroughly before proceeding with an application. 

APPLY HERE

Frequently Asked Questions

Applications must meet the following criteria to be approved: 

  • The application must be for a property protected by a Trust for Nature conservation covenant 
  • The property must be within the Gippsland area. Please see the question below ‘What locations does the Landholder Support Program’ include for more information and a map of included locations
  • The application must include a photograph of the requested works 
  • The application must include a fixed price quote from a contractor 
  • The application must only be for an approved activity: 
    • Weed control 
    • Revegetation  
    • Covenant fencing 
    • Pest animal control 

The Landholder Support Program is open to all registered landholders who have a Trust for Nature covenant in the Gippsland region. The program is limited to one application per landholder with a covenant per granting round.

At this stage, the pilot Landholder Support Program is only available to landholders in Gippsland. This is due to the Program being supported by the Gippsland Conservation Fund.

The map below shows the geographical area of Gippsland included in this program. Those landholders with a Trust for Nature conservation covenant who are located within the East Gippsland or West Gippsland catchments are able to apply.  

Map of Gippsland

Applications will be open from 14 April 2025 until 31 May 2025.

Applications will be assessed as they are received by Trust for Nature. If the funding is expended before the closing date of the program, remaining applications will be added to a waitlist to be addressed if further funding becomes available.  

All applications will be notified by the end of June 2025. Trust for Nature will review all applications for eligibility and conservation outcomes. Trust for Nature may be in contact with the applicant to request further information to assess feasibility and budget.

Landholders can apply for the following works on their covenanted land: 

  • Revegetation including plants 
  • Fencing (covenant boundary, not exclusion plots) 
  • Weed / pest control 

The following is excluded from this program: 

  • Fencing other than for covenant boundaries.  
  • Fending for agriculture or outcomes other than conservation 
  • Fencing for exclusion plots 
  • Burning 
  • Species translocation 

To submit an application, each covenantor will need to have secured a quote from a contractor and will need to include a fixed price quote from the contractor with their application.  

Successful applicants will be contacted by the South East regional team and landholders can then book the contractor to undertake works according to the quote submitted in application. 

When the work is done, the landholder will need to submit photo evidence of works plus the contractor’s invoice, which Trust for Nature will pay directly. 

The Landholder Support Program will distribute up to $50,000 in 2024/25, with each application eligible to receive funding for works within the range of $1000-$5,000.  

Landholders will need to secure a fixed price quote to submit with their application. This quote will be the total sum of the works and Trust for Nature will pay the contractor invoice that matches the amount in the quote.

Trust for Nature will only pay contractor invoices and not the landholder directly. 

Landholders can use a preferred supplier or please reach out to your Trust for Nature regional team for some suggested contractors. 

If a landholder is suggesting their own contractor, they will be required to sign a conflict of interest form. 

No formal reporting process will be required. However, all successful applicants will be required to take before and after photos and to complete a short survey at the conclusion of the program. 

To apply for the Landholder Support Program, click here.