Editing Australian Capital Territory (section)

=== Flora and fauna ===
{{main|Fauna of the Australian Capital Territory|Flora of the Australian Capital Territory}}
The environments range from [[Alpine climate|alpine]] area on the higher mountains, to [[sclerophyll]] forest and to [[woodland]]. Much of the territory has been cleared for grazing and is also burnt off by [[Bushfires in Australia|bushfire]]s several times per century. The kinds of plants can be grouped into [[vascular plants]], that include [[gymnosperm]]s, flowering plants, and [[fern]]s, as well as [[bryophyte]]s, [[lichen]]s, fungi and freshwater [[algae]]. Four flowering plants are endemic to the territory. Several lichens are unique to the territory. Most plants in the territory are characteristic of the [[Australian flora|Flora of Australia]] and include well known plants such as [[Grevillea]], [[Eucalyptus]] trees and [[kangaroo grass]].

The native forest in the territory was almost wholly [[Eucalyptus|eucalypt]] species and provided a resource for fuel and domestic purposes. By the early 1960s, logging had depleted the eucalypt, and concern about water quality led to the forests being closed. Interest in forestry began in 1915 with trials of a number of species including ''[[Pinus radiata]]'' on the slopes of Mount Stromlo. Since then, plantations have been expanded, with the benefit of reducing erosion in the Cotter catchment, and the forests are also popular recreation areas.<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/113939/McLeodInquiry.pdf |title=Inquiry into the Operational Response to the January 2003 Bushfires in the ACT |last=McLeod |first=Ron |year=2003 |isbn=0-642-60216-6 |location=Canberra, ACT |publisher=ACT Government |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514031921/http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/113939/McLeodInquiry.pdf |archive-date=14 May 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Fauna in the territory includes representatives from most major [[Fauna of Australia|Australian animal groups]]. This includes kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, platypus, echidna, emu, kookaburras and dragon lizards.