Native Vegetation Offset & Net Gain Management in Victoria
When a planning permit lets you remove native vegetation in Victoria, the job is not finished when the offset is secured. The offset site then has to be managed, recorded and reported on, year after year. Regen Environmental Management is the field team that does that work, so permit holders, developers, landholders and councils can meet their obligations with confidence.
Who we work with
- Permit holders and developers who have secured a first-party offset on their own land and need it managed to the agreed plan.
- Offset landowners who have registered an offset site and sell native vegetation credits, and need the management commitments delivered and documented.
- Councils and land managers responsible for conservation reserves and offset areas on public land.
- Ecologists and planning consultants who need a reliable land manager to put their offset management plan into practice.
The offset management plan, delivered on the ground
Every offset site is protected by a security agreement registered on the land title, and each agreement includes an offset management plan. That plan sets out 10 years of management commitments, and the site must then be maintained in its improved condition for good.
Our role is to turn that plan into work on the ground, season by season. That means knowing what the plan commits you to, scheduling the work at the right time of year, and keeping the records that show it was done.
Weed, pest and fencing standards
Victoria sets minimum management standards for native vegetation offset sites. They include:
- Keeping grassy and herbaceous weed cover from increasing above the baseline, and eliminating any new weeds to under 1% cover
- Actively controlling pest animals, including rabbits
- Installing, upgrading or maintaining fencing to keep out stock and unauthorised access
- Retaining all trees, including dead standing trees, along with logs, fallen timber and leaf litter
- Managing native grass biomass where the plan requires it
- Revegetation to the required planting standards
Our crews carry out targeted weed control, pest animal control, fencing, biomass management and revegetation, with the care that sensitive ecological sites need.
Annual monitoring and reporting
For the first 10 years, the landowner must report every year on the management actions completed. We keep clear site records, photo points and treatment logs through the year, so the annual report is accurate and straightforward to prepare, and the evidence is there if the site is inspected.
Working with the ecologist who wrote the plan
Offset management plans are prepared by a certified native vegetation assessor and approved by the body that signs the security agreement. We work alongside that ecologist rather than around them: we follow their plan, flag anything on site that does not match it, and share our records so their advice stays grounded in what is actually happening.
Related projects
Frequently asked questions
When do I need a native vegetation offset?
If you need a planning permit to remove, destroy or lop native vegetation in Victoria, the permit will normally require you to offset the loss. The permit conditions set out the offset and when it must be secured, which is before any vegetation is removed.
What is the difference between a first-party and a third-party offset?
A first-party offset is on land you own or manage, and can only offset vegetation removed from your own land. A third-party offset is on someone else's land, and you buy it as native vegetation credits through a registered broker.
How long does offset management last?
The offset management plan includes 10 years of management commitments, with annual reporting over that time. The security agreement has no end date, so the site must keep being maintained after year 10, and the obligation passes to future owners.
Do you write offset management plans?
Plans are prepared by a certified native vegetation assessor. We deliver the work the plan sets out and keep the records you need, and we are happy to work with your existing ecologist.
Where do you work?
Across Melbourne, Geelong and wider Victoria.
New to offsets? Read our guide: Native vegetation offsets: what developers need to know.
Need your offset site managed?
Tell us about your site and what your permit, plan or handover requires. We will give you a clear, practical plan for the work on the ground.