Biodiversity conservation incentive programs

You may be able to access financial and in kind assistance for protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of your land.

Council Programs

Nature Stewards Course- Victorian National Parks Association

Keen to connect with nature and meet other like-minded friends? Take a Nature Stewards course on Saturdays from 16 March to 25 May 2024.

  • Learn more about your local and Victorian environment.
  • Explore new employment opportunities.
  • Hear from experts including Traditional Owners, Council, CSIRO, volunteering and industry.
  • Find ways to connect with and care for nature.

Click here for more information on dates and times(PDF, 1MB).

Apply now

Trust For Nature conservation covenant

Council offers a rates rebate on land protected by a Trust For Nature conservation covenant

The Trust For Nature conservation covenant program allows landholders to permanently protect remnant native vegetation on their property and help conserve some of Victoria's most threatened species of flora and fauna. The agreement is voluntary and negotiated between Trust for Nature and the individual landholder. The Trust For Nature website has more detailed information on the program.

The rebate provides a 100 per cent waiver of rates over the proportion of land protected by the covenant. For example, if a landowner places a conservation covenant over 100 per cent of their land, they receive a rate rebate of 100 per cent. If a conservation covenant applies to 50 per cent of the land, a 50 per cent rebate of rates applies. The rates rebate applies to Council’s annual rates charges only. It does not apply to any other charges or services. For more information, call our Rates department on (03) 5422 0333

Note: Council doesn't assess properties for eligibility for a Trust For Nature covenant.

Sustainable Land Management Programs

Council's Sustainable Land Management Programs are available to support landholders with our Farm Advisory Service, Caring for Country resource and Property Management Plans. For more information call our Environment team on (03) 5422 0333.

Other conservation projects

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action - Land for Wildlife

Land for Wildlife is a Victoria Government program supporting landholders or managers who provide habitat for native wildlife. This free program provides landowners with access to expert and peer advice about property management, and the opportunity to participate in field days and information sessions. The Land for Wildlife website has detailed information on the program and membership benefits.

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action - Native vegetation offsets

The Native vegetation offsets program is available to advise landowners on how they can choose to set aside all or part of their land as a native vegetation offset to compensate for the loss of native vegetation elsewhere.

Melbourne Water - Stream Frontage Management Program

If you own land in the Port Phillip and Western Port catchment that fronts onto a river or creek, you may be eligible for funding to help you manage your land. The Stream Frontage Management Program supports work that protects and enhances riverbanks, such as weed control, fencing and planting native vegetation.

North Central Catchment Management Authority - A Healthy Coliban Catchment

There are incentive available for landholders to fence off waterways, undertake weed control and revegetate in the upper coliban catchment. More information can be found at A Healthy Coliban Catchment.

Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority - Deepening Connections

The Deepening Connections project involves landholders south of Darraweit Guim and will undertake weed and rabbit control across 6,700 hectares.

Landcare groups

Many local Landcare groups have individual projects such as, Black Gum Conservation in Woodend, Ashbourne Landcare Biolink Project and the Cobaw Biolink project by Newham Landcare. To find your local Landcare group, you can search on the Landcare Australia website via the map or refer to our Landcare, Friends and Sustainability Groups page.