What is biodiversity? Biodiversity, or biological diversity is the variety of all living life-forms including plants, animals and micro-organisms, the genes they all contain and the ecosystems of which they form a part. Why is biodiversity important? Biodiversity encompasses a range of living things and ecosystems, which are constantly evolving and adapting to environmental changes. Our living wealth needs to be maintained and enhanced for our economic, cultural, social and spiritual well-being. The bioregional approach Victorian bioregions nest within the national categorisation for terrestrial environments (the Interim Bioregionalisation for Australia, IBRA) and marine environments (the Interim Marine and Coastal Regionalisation for Australia, IMCRA). Native flora and fauna are inherently diverse and exist within complex systems. There is need for a framework which can both simplify this complexity and connect us more directly to the biodiversity assets and challenges in our own neighbourhoods and working environments. Biogeographic regions (bioregions) capture the patterns of ecological characteristics in the landscape or seascape, providing a natural framework for recognising and responding to biodiversity values. As bioregions reflect underlying environmental features, they can also be related to the patterns of use of land and sea. Five bioregions occur in Victorian waters. The 12 national terrestrial bioregions have been broken down in to 21 Victorian Bioregions. The bioregional areas are illustrated in the map below. Bioregional networks are being established to facilitate partnerships between the wide range of land managers who share responsibilities for biodiversity conservation. Victorian Bioregions

		Lowan Mallee		Goldfields		Otway Ranges
		Murray Mallee		Central Victorian Uplands		Warrnambool Plain
		Wimmera		Northern Inland Slopes		Otway Plain
		Victoria Volcanic Plain		Victorian Riverina		Gippsland Plain
		Glenelg Plain		Victorian Alps		Wilsons Promontory
		Dundas Tablelands		Highlands - Southern Fall		East Gippsland Uplands
		Greater Grampians		Highlands - Northern Fall		East Gippsland Lowlands
		Otway (Marine)		Central Victoria (Marine)		Victorian Embayments (Marine)
		Flinders (Marine)		Twofold Shelf (Marine)

	Biogeographic Regions (IBRA) in adjacent States
	Naracoorte Coastal Plain Warren South Eastern Highlands	Murray-Darling Depression NSW South Western Slopes South East Corner	Riverina Australian Alps

Victoria’s Biodiversity is characterised by a complexity of 3140 native species of vascular plant, 900 lichens, 750 mosses and liverworts, 111 mammals, 477 birds, 46 freshwater and 600 marine fish, 133 reptiles, 33 amphibians, and an untold number of invertebrates, fungi and algae occurring within hundreds of ecological communities. The Strategy uses a range of tables and charts (illustrated below) to define these assets in each bioregion.       Native Terrestrial Vertebrates of the Victorian Volcanic Plain Vertebrates Victorian Volcanic Plain Amphibians 20 Birds 434 Mammals 106 Reptiles 47   BROAD VEGETATION TYPES IN THE GLENELG PLAIN Glenelg Plain Broad Vegetation Types Pre-European Area (ha) % of BVT Remaining Coastal Grassy Woodland Complexes 21448 9.4 Heathy Woodland Complexes 373280 51.3 Lowland Forest Complexes -1 21.4 Plains Grassy Woodland Complexes 42738 20.9

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VICTORIA'S BIODIVERSITY