Conservation covenants
Trust for Nature developed its conservation covenant program so landholders could permanently protect remnant native vegetation on their own properties.
A conservation covenant is a permanent, legally-binding agreement placed on a property's title to ensure native vegetation on the property is protected forever. The agreement is voluntary and negotiated between Trust for Nature and each individual landholder.
Trust for Nature's covenanting program falls under the Victorian Conservation Trust Act (1972).
Each conservation covenant is considered by Trust for Nature's Board of Trustees before being sent to the Victorian Environment Minister for approval.
Trust for Nature registered its first conservation covenant in 1986. Trust for Nature now has more than 1088 conservation covenants, protecting 45,848 hectares across Victoria.
For more information on Trust for Nature's conservation covenant program read our leaflet 'What is a conservation covenant' here or contact Trust for Nature on (03) 8631 5888.
There is more information in our FAQ's section on this website.
Covenants across Victoria
Trust for Nature's first conservation covenant was registered in 1987 and since then we have negotiated over 1000 conservation covenants. In fact, this year - 2011, marks our celebration of reaching 1,000 covenants across Victoria.
Those covenants protect over 42,000 hectares of native habitats across Victoria. In addition, Trust for Nature currently owns 52 properties totalling more than 35,000 hectares. This remarkable achievement has been made possible through public support for Trust for Natures work, through philanthropic organisations, state and federal funding, and multiple partnerships with Victorian agencies and environmental organisations over the years.
To complement the covenant program, Trust for Nature runs a Stewardship Program to support and provide advice to landholders managing covenanted land.
Trust for Nature is pleased to release a state-wide map of conservation covenants and Trust for Nature-owned properties. The aim of the map is to help development managers and contractors to identify areas that are important for conservation - that is, private properties with a conservation covenant in place. The sites have been presented as a 5x5-kilometre grid across Victoria, and as such, do not represent the boundaries of each covenant. If you believe your project may impact upon a covenant or Trust for Nature property, we encourage you to contact Trust for Nature to discuss it further. Feel free to contact us if you would like a GIS layer of covenants and properties by calling us on (03) 8631 5888 and ask to speak to our GIS Officer.
Download a high resolution copy of the Distribution of Covenants & Trust for Nature-owned Properties (pdf 5MB)