Bioregions and EVCs
Bioregions
The whole of Victoria has been divided into biogeographic regions, or bioregions. Bioregions have little or no direct legislative implications, but are instead a method of categorising different areas with similar ecological communities containing characteristic flora, fauna, and environmental conditions. Bioregions are bounded by natural rather than artificial borders.
There are four bioregions within the Mount Alexander Shire – Goldfields, Victorian Volcanic Plains, Central Victorian Uplands and Victorian Riverina.
For more information on these bioregions click here
Ecological Vegetation Classes
These bioregions are further divided into Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs). EVCs or EVC benchmarks are classifications of groups of native plants which commonly grow together (plant communities). As much of the native vegetation today has been changed these are a ‘best guess’ of the condition, prior to European colonisation. This ‘best guess’ enables us to better understand elements which make up the community. It also enables us (using the Habitat-hectare assessment) to record the condition at a point in time, and then also measure its changes and improvement at later dates. Further information on the Habitat Hectares assessment approach can be found here.
DEPI has completed predictive mapping of native vegetation across the state using the EVC criteria. You can use the NatureKit Map to find out what the EVCs are predicted to occur on your property and surrounds in the present day and also which are predicted to have occurred prior to European colonisation of the region (known as pre-1750s mapping).
More information:
This website provides information about Victoria’s native vegetation, its management, restoration and revegetation. VicVeg Online is a “work in progress” that is subject to future funding and resources. From here you can find out information about:
- the different types of native vegetation in your area (including a revegetation list in the tabs below the CMA, Bioregion and EVC selection) (Plantscapes section);
- the native plants of your region (Plant Species section);
- ways of restoring and managing native vegetation (Tools and Techniques section).
Florabank is assisting thousands of people every month who want to collect seed, propagate, grow or use Australian native species. Florabank is an initiative of the Australian Government, Greening Australia and CSIRO. Greening Australia has been funding Florabank since mid 2008. Species Navigator is a unique tool which brings together biophysical and ecological information about species – information which is not easily found – into an interactive key. Around 20 of the top 25 Florabank webpages accessed per month are Species Navigator Fact Sheets, and well over 6000 Fact Sheets are accessed every month.
EVC Benchmarks
Click on the following links for information about the EVCs found in each bioregion: