Who are we?
We are a network of people and places. We bring together all managers of native vegetation across public and private land in the Gippsland Plain bioregion, which stretches from east of Lakes Entrance to Melbourne.

The Australian Government funds a part-time facilitator, Trish Fox, and some of our project. Trust for Nature provides office space and project support for the facilitator in Bairnsdale.

The Gippsland Plains CMN was formed in 2001. It was Australia’s second CMN. Locally the CMN built on the excellent network of remnants protected by Trust for Nature Victoria under a targeted extension programme that began over 10 years ago and continues today (www.tfn.org.au)

CMN members include 80 landholders who own and manage native vegetation on the Gippsland Plain. Agency members include Trust for Nature, Parks Victoria, Department of Sustainability & Environment, VicRoads, Hancock Victorian Plantations, East and West Gippsland Catchment Management Authorities, East Gippsland Shire Council, Wellington Shire Council, and East Gippsland Rail Trail.

The CMN’s goal is to protect, manage and restore threatened native vegetation on the Red Gum Plains. Equally important is the sharing of information which we do through our quarterly newsletter On the plains. Editions are available as pdf downloads on this site (see below).

Why do we need CMNs?
Managing the threatened vegetation that remains in agricultural landscapes has been described as one of Australia’s greatest environmental challenges. Vegetation often occurs as small, isolated patches and can be owned and managed by various agencies. Managing those remnants for the best biodiversity outcome is difficult for one agency. The CMN facilitates best management across land tenures.