DSE Home > Conservation and Environment

Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) Benchmarks for each Bioregion

Native Vegetation Information for Victoria | Simplified Native Vegetation Groups | Glossary | Native Vegetation Home

Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC) Native vegetation in Victoria has been classified according to Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs). (For an explanation of EVCs see Environment and Heritage Report - East Gippsland Regional Forest Agreement - Appendix G - Ecological Vegetation Classes.) There are approximately 300 EVCs statewide. An ecological vegetation class consists of one or a number of floristic communities that appear to be associated with a recognisable environmental niche, and which can be characterised by a number of their adaptive responses to ecological processes that operate at the landscape scale level. Each ecological vegetation class is described through a combination of its floristic, life-form and reproductive strategy profiles, and through an inferred fidelity to particular environmental attributes.  EVC benchmarks An EVC benchmark is standard vegetation-quality reference point relevant to the vegetation type that is applied in assessments. Represents the average characteristics of a mature and apparently long-undisturbed state of the same vegetation type. EVC benchmarks have been developed to assess the vegetation quality of the EVCs at the site scale in comparison to a ‘benchmark’ condition. Each EVC benchmark contains a range of information necessary for conducting a vegetation quality assessment. Please note: The bioregional conservation status of EVCs was revised and updated in November 2007 following revised EVC mapping. The revised status should be used for all planning permits and offset plans submitted to the relevant authorities from 11 April 2008. For more information go the Accessing Native Vegetation Data web page. Which Bioregional Consevation Status should be used? The unrevised BCS ratings should be applied to applications for planning permits submitted prior to 11 April 2008. The revised BCS ratings should be applied to applications for planning permits submitted from 11 April 2008 onwards. Where the proposal for the planning permit was developed (including determination of habitat hectares and conservation significance) between 1 January 2008 and 10 April 2008, and the application for planning permits submitted after 11 April 2008, the unrevised BCS ratings should be applied. Where very large and complicated proposals have been in negotiation between 1 January 2008 and 11 April 2008, and an application for planning permits submitted after 11 April 2008, it is at the discretion of the DSE Biodiversity Manager as to which BCS will be applied. Where agreed permits to clear native vegetation that are yet to secure an approved offset prior to 11 April 2008, the offset target and like-for-like criteria will remain the same however, the suitability of some sites as an offset may change as a result of the updated EVC BCS ratings. The EVC benchmarks have been divided into two broad groups (terrestrial and wetland), because different environments are assessed using different parameters. Click here to access the statewide EVC benchmarks and their corresponding bioregional conservation status. Terrestrial EVC benchmark Each EVC benchmark contains a range of information necessary for conducting a vegetation quality assessment. Refer to the Victorian Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) Vegetation Quality Assessment Manual for a description of the type of information that each benchmark contains and how this is applied to the various condition assessment components. Wetland EVC benchmark The Wetland Vegetation Assessment (WVA) method is similar in approach to the Vegetation Quality Assessment for terrestrial vegetation but uses some different attributes unique to wetlands. The method has been developed as part of the Index of Wetland Condition, which assesses a range of wetland components. However, the WVA can also be applied in situations where only the wetland vegetation quality is being assessed, for example as part of a native vegetation investment proposal. In these situations, use the Wetland Vegetation Quality Field Assessment Sheet.

EVC mapping units
Some parts of Victoria have been mapped as EVC mosaics, complexes and aggregates. In general, these are mapping units that have been established because finer resolution of the vegetation could not be achieved at the scale of mapping.

EVC data
To locate and sort the required EVC data - the file below contains details of each EVC by bioregion. It also contains the corresponding Bioregional Conservation Status (BCS), Simplified Native Vegetation Group and Sub-group and provides a link to the EVC bioregional benchmarks (note: not all EVCs have a benchmark).

The bioregional conservation status of EVCs was revised and updated in November 2007 following revised native vegetation mapping.

To view the distribution of EVCs across the State and in your area of interest see the Biodiversity Interactive Map on the DSE web site. The following spreadsheet allows you to sort by bioregion, EVC, native vegetation group or by the biroegional conservation status. This will allow you to find the relevant EVC in a bioregion and its conservation status.

Mapping units with Bioregional Conservation Status and Native Vegetation groupings - Revised November 2007 (XLS - 328 KB)

Various reports detailing EVC descriptions are available.

Click on relevant bioregion (table) below to take you to a list of EVCs and benchmarks within the bioregion.

Bioregion name

Brid	Bridgewater	MuF	Murray Fans
CVU	Central Victorian Uplands	MuM	Murray Mallee
DunT	Dundas Tablelands	MSB	Murray Scroll Belt
EGL	East Gippsland Lowlands	NIS	Northern Inland Slopes
EGU	East Gippsland Uplands	OtP	Otway Plain
GipP	Gippsland Plain	OtR	Otway Ranges
GleP	Glenelg Plain	RobP	Robinvale Plain
Gold	Goldfields	Strz	Strzelecki Ranges
GGr	Greater Grampians	VAlp	Victorian Alps
HFE	Highlands – Far East	VRiv	Victorian Riverina
HNF	Highlands – Northern Fall	VVP	Victorian Volcanic Plain
HSF	Highlands – Southern Fall	WaP	Warrnambool Plain
LoM	Lowan Mallee	WPro	Wilsons Promontory
MonT	Monaro Tablelands	Wim	Wimmera

Further enquiries and feedback
To provide feedback on any EVC related matters such as typology, mapping, groups or benchmarks or to request additional information please contact evc.benchmark@dse.vic.gov.au and provide your contact details. Please allow approximately one week for a response.

Legend for Bioregional Conservation Status of Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVC)

STATUS		CRITERIA
Presumed Extinct	X	Probably no longer present in the bioregion (the accuracy of this resumption is limited by the use of remotely - sensed 1:100 000 scale woody vegetation cover mapping to determine depletion - grassland, open woodland and wetland types are particularly affected).
Endangered	E	Contracted to less than 10% of former range; OR Less than 10% pre-European extent remains; OR Combination of depletion, degradation, current threats and rarity is comparable overall to the above: 10 to 30% pre-European extent remains and severely degraded over a majority of this area; or naturally restricted EVC reduced to 30% or less of former range and moderately degraded over a majority of this area; or rare EVC cleared and/or moderately degraded over a majority of former area.
Vulnerable	V	10 to 30% pre-European extent remains; OR Combination of depletion, degradation, current threats and rarity is comparable overall to the above: greater than 30% and up to 50% pre-European extent remains and moderately degraded over a majority of this area; or greater than 50% pre-European extent remains and severely degraded over a majority of this area; or naturally restricted EVC where greater than 30% pre-European extent remains and moderately degraded over a majority of this area; or rare EVC cleared and/or moderately degraded over a minority of former area.
Depleted	D	Greater than 30% and up to 50% pre-European extent remains; OR Combination of depletion, degradation and current threats is comparable overall to the above and: greater than 50% pre-European extent remains and moderately degraded over a majority of this area.
Rare	R	Rare EVC (as defined by geographic occurrence) but neither depleted, degraded nor currently threatened to an extent that would qualify as Endangered, Vulnerable or Depleted.
Least Concern	LC	Greater than 50% pre-European extent remains and subject to little to no degradation over a majority of this area.

page top