Hosted networks

Victorian Environment Friends Network

Everyone needs a friend. That includes our special wild places. In Victoria, hundreds of Friends groups help conserve reserves, natural areas, indigenous flora and fauna, and other objects of historic, scenic and scientific interest.

Supporting management authorities such as Parks Victoria and Trust for Nature, Friends' many activities include surveys, research, seed collection, propagation, tree planting, publications, litter control, nature rambles, monitoring, track work, environmental weeding, revegetation, education, fundraising, restoration and guiding.

The first Friends group was Friends of Organ Pipes, established in 1972 as a committee of the VNPA. Later the VNPA obtained support from the National Parks Service to form a number of Friends groups for national parks. The concept spread to cover a wide range of reserves.

Today the VNPA continues to support and encourage hundreds of independent Friends groups, and also hosts the independent Victorian Environment Friends Network, an elected representative committee that assists new and existing Friends groups.

Friends groups vary in size, activities and structure. Some meet weekly, many meet monthly, and two, Friends of the Little Desert and Friends of Wyperfeld, meet once a year. Most groups have their own member newsletter.

For more information and contact details for your local Friends group, visit the Friends website: http://home.vicnet.au/~friends.

If you are interested in forming a new Friends group, contact the Friends Network Liaison Officer, friendsvic@hotmail.com.