Nelson lies at the heart of some of the most environmentally-significant areas of southwestern Victoria, including the Lower Glenelg National Park and the spectacular wilderness of the Discovery Bay Coastal Park.

Nelson Coastcare was founded in 2010 by Nelson resident, the late Leila Huebner, OAM. Her goal was to secure protection for the Long Swamp and the Glenelg Estuary under the Ramsar Treaty, an international agreement that covers wetlands of international significance. This was achieved in 2018 with the listing of the Discovery Bay Coastal Park and Lower Glenelg National Park as Australia’s 67th Ramsar site. Sadly, Leila did not live to see the result of her hard work.