The Conservation Council ACT Region have been provided this important update about NatureMapr and Canberra Nature Map, following questions about the upcoming closure of NatureMapr. We’re reprinting in full to provide this important update.
The Canberra Nature Map Association (CNMA) has been created to support the website of Canberra Nature Map (CNM) and the community of people who moderate and contribute to it. Since we now know that NatureMapr will cease operations for the Canberra and Southern Tablelands in the financial year 2029-2030, we have to be prepared for big changes in how we operate. So the Association will be working with CNM contributors and moderators to facilitate this transition. CNMA has a committee dedicated to keeping CNM alive.
The committee is developing a strategy to enable CNM to continue after NatureMapr closes down. A likely possibility is transferring the data of approving CNM contributors to iNaturalist. We also intend to develop a separate website to retain the field guides and knowledge of the 9600 species found the Canberra region, as well field guides for the many nature reserves and other places. This new website would have a strong focus on communication with and supporting the CNM community. We are still in the planning stage but keeping the CNM community together and retaining the knowledge of local fauna and flora is a high priority. Members of the Association will also be able to get assistance in making a transition to the new platform.
The Association needs CNM members to join with us in looking after the project and its future evolution. At this stage the most important thing for people to do is to register as mentioned above. I hope that those of you who are contributors or moderators on CNM will take this opportunity. NatureMapr may be closing down, but Canberra Nature Map will continue on. Please join the CNM Association now to be part of the transition to the next stage.