Biodiversity Interactive Map – Resource

Another useful tool is the Biodiversity Interactive Map, which is one of a series of interactive maps available online provided by the Victorian Government. It is a valuable tool for finding out information such as what the current Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) of a patch of vegetation is or what vegetation type a cleared area is likely to have been around the time of European settlement. That is a vital step to take when you are planning a re-vegetation project.

It is also a good way of finding out what threatened species may exist in your area of interest. Doing a search of the area shows that some of the significant species that have been recorded in the district include.  The site can be accessed by the following link. http://mapshare2.dse.vic.gov.au/MapShare2EXT/imf.jsp?site=bim

Biodiversity Interactive Map – Showing the Ecological vegetation classes (EVC) that were thought to be present in 1750.

Biodiversity Interactive Map showing threatened fauna record for the study area.

Atlas of Living Australia – Resource

If you are keen to get a better idea of what species are native to the area, one great resource that is now available is the Atlas of Living Australia. You can search any area and it will come up with a whole heap of information about what has been found. It is focused on all biodiversity so it covers a whole range of flora and fauna including fungi and fish and it doesn’t just come up with lists, it also includes links to photo galleries and other information about each species. If you are really keen the site also gives you the opportunity to upload your own species records. You can find the atlas via the following link http://www.ala.org.au

Screen shot from the Atlas of Living Australia, showing the search by location tool.

Current Native Vegetation Cover – EVC Map

This map gives an indication of the current distribution of plant communities in the district. You can clearly see the large area of mainly Lowland Forest EVC in the north, this includes the Traralgon South Flora and Fauna Reserve. As we head to higher altitudes the vegetation becomes dominated by Wet Forest with its overstorey of Mountain Ash. Some of the well protected gullies (e.g. in Tarra Bulga National Park) contain patches of Cool Temperate Rainforest.

Traralgon Sth EVC map