Biodiversity or ‘biological diversity’ is the collective term for genes, species and ecosystems.  East Gippsland has high species and ecosystem biodiversity.

East Gippsland plants are very significant at the continental scale, due to the area overlapping between southern cool temperate and eastern warm temperate zones. There are many species of plants and animals which are absent from, or rare in, the rest of Victoria.

East Gippsland is highly valued because of its vast expanses of wilderness and virtually pristine ecosystems. “The continuity of native vegetation over a very extensive area makes East Gippsland one of the great reservoirs of biodiversity in Australia; there are no other regions on mainland Australia where native vegetation is continuous from alpine environments to the coast.” (Victoria’s Biodiversity Strategy 1997).  The vegetation on our road reserves and on our farms and properties is also extremely valuable, and forms important habitat links.

Nearly one third of Victoria's Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) occur within East Gippsland, which also has unique bioregions.

‍

View past editions of the quarterly Environment Connect newsletter and subscribe to receive the newsletter via email.

You can also check out our easy-to-read two-page guide to Roadside Vegetation Management.

‍