Professor Natalie Moltschaniwskyj, Associate Professor – Marine Science School of Environmental & Life Sciences at the University of Newcastle will be visiting the region in early June to give presentations about www.redmap.org.au   Redmap stands for Range Extension Database and Mapping project. This project invites Australians to share sightings of marine species that are ‘uncommon’ to their local seas.

Over time, Redmap will use this  data to map which Australian marine species may be extending their distribution range – a.k.a moving house – in response to changes in the marine environment, such as ocean warming.

Redmap originated in Tasmania where it first made waves in 2009 when it was launched from the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) by Dr Gretta Pecl.  Redmap came from the idea of capturing information that everyday people can contribute – particularly fishers, divers and boaters – to help record and track potential changes in the distribution of marine species.

Redmap is an online tool that captures important information on species ranges by extending the research team to include citizen scientists to amass far more data than a pure research monitoring system could. Additional benefits come in raising awareness amongst all of us that use or enjoy the marine environment, of the potential changes in our marine ecosystems.

Professor Moltschaniwskyj will give presentations from 5:30pm – 6:30pm at the following venues about how Redmap has expanded into NSW:

• Monday 3rd June – Tathra Surf Lifesaving Club
• Tuesday 4th June – Club Sapphire, Merimbula
• Wednesday 5th June – Narooma Golf Club
• Thursday 6th June – Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre, Eden