Our vision is for Tasmania to be a global leader in nature conservation.
Tasmania is home to a unique array of plants and wildlife. Many of these are found nowhere else in the world.
Our beautiful state is also well known for its large and iconic national parks and reserves. Despite this, some species that call Tasmania home are still under threat of disappearing forever.
That’s where the Tasmanian Land Conservancy (TLC) can help.
Our organisation protects nature on private land in Tasmania. We buy, protect and re-sell land to people committed to looking after it. This gives our remarkable plants and wildlife a better chance of survival.
Who is TLC?
The TLC is a not-for-profit organisation that is nonpolitical, science- and community-based.
We bring together scientists, technology experts, and people with legal, financial and management expertise to help conserve nature. Meet the Board who governs TLC.
The TLC acknowledges the Tasmanian Aboriginal people as the traditional owners of the land and we pay respects to Aboriginal elders, past, present and emerging.
How does TLC work?
The TLC relies on public donations to buy and manage private land in Tasmania to protect our plants and wildlife. All donations of $2 or more are tax deductible. You can donate here quickly and easily – nature will thank you!
We manage a network of conservation reserves
Our reserves protect some of the most important natural areas in Tasmania. They can be found on remote mountain tops, in coastal environments, and in woodlands, wetlands and grasslands.
The reserves provide critical habitat for rare and threatened species to survive and thrive right now. Plus, they serve as safe havens for the future, allowing us to continually protect the state’s unique animals and plants.
We work with landowners
We work alongside landholders across Tasmania who are committed to conserving nature. We help them to identify, protect and manage important areas on their properties by establishing conservation agreements.
We have a revolving fund
We purchase, protect and re-sell land to new owners who are keen to support conservation. In this way, our capital is freed up to reinvest into the next property we buy. Every precious dollar donated is used repeatedly to protect as much nature as we can.
Read more about TLC’s story.
How do reserves help us look after nature?
For nature reserves to work well, they must be safe havens that truly protect the plants and animals they contain. And for reserves to do this, we must look after them.
Why reserves need to be managed
Every reserve has what we call ecological values, which show the intrinsic importance and worth of natural systems. Examples of ecological values include forests storing carbon dioxide, maintaining groundwater levels, retaining soil nutrients and providing habitat for animals.
A well-functioning reserve will only keep its ecological values if we actively manage it. This could involve on-ground actions such as annual weed control, drainage work and addressing erosion problems.
Even more importantly, in this time of changing climate, we need more research to find out how to keep these vital ecological values intact for the future.
How we fund reserve management
We are serious about conservation research and management. For us, a reserve isn’t a reserve unless we know we have the funding to maintain it forever. We want to know we can make good on our commitment to nature. The mechanism to fund this work is the Tasmanian Land Conservancy Foundation.
The TLC Foundation was established in 2009. It is designed to secure the independent, long-term funding needed to manage our reserves forever.
In 2010, TLC’s New Leaf Project generated vital funds that have been, and continue to be, re-invested into our conservation efforts.
Understanding nature to save it
Unless we know what’s going on in our reserves, we can’t look after them properly. Using funds from the TLC Foundation, we have developed a long-term ecological monitoring program that captures large amounts of data from the ecosystems found in our reserves. This carefully collected, scientifically accurate data is vital for us to understand these ecosystems.
Thanks to our well-established funding system, and the information gathered through our monitoring program, we can assess, prioritise and implement targeted management activities on our reserves. Through this work, we will be able to protect these unique natural places, rare ecosystems and critical habitats now and into the future.
How does TLC involve people?
We provide people with different opportunities to experience and conserve nature, operate mutually beneficial businesses and support our work.
We welcome everyone to experience private nature conservation through volunteering, reserve visits and events. Keep up to date by subscribing to our newsletter.
How is TLC governed?
The TLC is an Incorporated Association under the Associations Incorporations Act 1964 (Tasmanian legislation).
The TLC has deductible gift recipient (DGR) status under Commonwealth legislation. This means it can give donors a tax-deductible receipt for all donations over $2.00 to support the objects of TLC. The TLC is registered on the Commonwealth government’s Register of Environmental Organisations and is a registered charity under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission.
The TLC is governed by a skills-based Committee of Management (the TLC Board) under its constitution. The Board has 12 positions (including the Chair and Vice Chair). There is an expectation that the term limit of Board members is capped at 10 years to support renewal and succession planning.
The TLC holds an annual general meeting each year, at which members have the opportunity to review the organisation’s performance and ask questions of the Board.
To obtain a copy of TLC’s Constitution or enquire about membership, please email info@tasland.org.au
ABN: 88 743 606 934
