Jess is a teacher with a passion for the environment, she has been involved in coral watch surveys, studied marine science, worked as a dive instructor and now has a plan to travel Australia and teach people about the environment along the way.

Dialling in from sunny Mackay, Queensland, where her little crew (husband and two dogs) live and explore the area whenever they can.

We chat about studying and living the life of a volunteer in a marine science world, then over in Spain where she researched seahorses and if they were being affected by the tourism industry.  Her love for the underwater world (in particular the reef off Byron Bay) led to becoming a dive instructor.

Have you ever wanted to learn how to survey coral and help researchers combat bleaching events? Jess gives me the rundown on how that’s possible!

Coral Watch and Tangaroa Blue are two examples of organisations where you can become a citizen scientist and collect data for them, then input it into a system.

This is such an important thing, because we need research to put measures into place to save the environment.

Jess has always had a love for conservation, but admits that being physically involved in it all has helped keep the drive alive and she is so keen to get others involved.

Stay tuned for what Jess and Colby get up to, they might be in a town near you!

Her take home message “Anyone can make a difference. Educate yourself, talk to others and learn from them. Everyone can make a change! Get out there, see the world and leave it in a better place than you found it”

Find them here for their travel adventures: https://www.instagram.com/markingoffthemap/

Follow the Bush to Beach Education project here: https://www.instagram.com/bushtobeacheducation/

Join the Chasin Crew Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/490591758865920

Send me a DM on Instagram of what you thought of the show: https://www.instagram.com/leishpetrie/