Students across the country are getting a 'virtual field trip' into the wild and remote Dusky Sound, in Fiordland National Park this week to learn more about conservation and why it is so important.

The trip into Dusky Sound called 'Expedition Fiordland', is organised by CORE Education through its 'Learning Experiences Around New Zealand' (LEARNZ) programme, and jointly funded by Fiordland-based charter company Pure Salt and the Ministry of Education. 

The expedition, which is now available to view online for free, aims to inspire kids to learn more about the world around them by taking them on a virtual tour of interesting places from their classroom. 

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It focused on the Department of Conservation's Tamatea/Dusky Sound restoration project, which has a goal for Tamatea/Dusky Sound to be one of the most intact ecosystems on Earth.

Dusky Sound is so geographically isolated and is one of the least modified parts of mainland New Zealand. With enough collaborative effort, conservationists believe the hundreds of islands there can become home to New Zealand’s largest ‘bio bank’ – a source of endangered native species that can be sent to pest-free locations throughout the country.

This LEARNZ trip was slightly different, in that two lucky students from Canterbury were picked to go along on the week-long conservation trip.

Aaliyah Raja enjoys a swim in the Fiord. PHOTO: Supplied

Aaliyah Raja (13), from Pegasus and Yeshaya Bullmore (13), from Leithfield Beach, were chosen to take part, after entering an online competition sharing why they are so passionate about the environment and why they wanted to be part of the journey. 

They were accompanied by LEARNZ teacher Shelley Hersey, a film crew, DOC staff and staff from Fiordland based charter company Pure Salt, who ran the trip on their vessel the MV Flightless between September 14-19. 

The film crew filmed all sorts of the exciting content of the two teenagers and crew helping with the conservation work for the virtual field trip, which has been shared online this week.

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"We've never had kids with us for the entire journey before, but it was really powerful for students to see other kids taking part and not just adults," Ms Hersey said.

The kids helped lay and check traps and installed acoustic recorders to monitor bird calls on the islands within Dusky Sound.

She said it was certainly "through the goodwill" of Pure Salt that the trip was able to happen.

Yeshaya Bullmore helps Pete McMurtrie from the Department of Conservation install an acoustic recorder to monitor bird calls. PHOTO: Supplied

The trip was half funded by the Ministry of Education and half funded by Pure Salt charters – whose owners are extremely passionate about conservation. 

Co-owner/operator of Pure Salt Maria Kuster said she and her partner Seán Ellis run the company together and they just wanted to do their bit to give back.

She said conservation was an "inter-generational" responsibility and they hoped that getting kids involved with the work on the ground would inspire them to get out there keep doing the work at home. 

"[By getting them involved in conservation] the disconnect between hearing the word conservation and actually getting your hands dirty disappears."

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They decided to sponsor the field trip to bring awareness to Dusky Sound, because they too share the dream of making it "one of the most intact ecosystems on Earth".

LEARNZ has made a total of 12 educational videos from the trip which are targeted at children and are available for schools and anyone interested to view on their website anytime.

Ms Hersey has taken three schools through the videos so far, via live online conferences and said it was very well received by the students. 

Tamatea/Dusky Sound was also the site of one of the world’s first conservation reserves and New Zealand's first conservation ranger, Richard Henry, in the late 19th century.

The group aboard the MV Flightless. PHOTO: Supplied