Youngsters can get up close with live marine critters in Gore this evening and Invercargill next weekend.

The Aquavan, run by NZ Marine Studies Centre, the University of Otago's Marine Science department, is in Southland to teach about the connection between river health and the coastal environment - in a hands-on way. 

There are public sessions from 6-8pm today, Thursday, March 11, at Gore Town & Country Club, and from 10am-3pm next Saturday, March 20, at the ILT Stadium Southland Foyer, in Invercargill. 

A host of organisations will also be at the stadium to showcase the work happening in Southland to look after waterways all the way from the mountains to the sea.

The Aquavan will also visit Southland schools over the coming fortnight, with more than 700 year-5 to year-8 school children in Gore and Invercargill benefiting. 

The focus will be on understanding of catchments, indigenous biodiversity, interconnection of waterways, ecosystem services and the ecological and cultural values of fresh water and coastal marine environments.

And students from the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) Environmental Management programme are also involved.

They're volunteering with the Aquavan, organised through a collaboration with Thriving Southland.

Dr Christine Liang, Programme Manager for Environmental Management said partnering in a community project like Aquavan provides many benefits for EM students.

"It teaches them to engage with the community around environmental awareness and they get to apply what they’ve learned through the EM course by passing on that knowledge to the next generation," she says.

She added the students are also in a position to learn both new environmental knowledge and how to raise community awareness around environmental issues, from Aquavan, Environment Southland and Thriving Southland team members.  

Dr Liang said there was an overwhelming response when they put out the call for volunteers to attend the Aquavan sessions, and due to the high level of interest, a dozen students have been selected.

"It was great to see so many of them interested in environmental education and passionate about coastal and freshwater environments."  

Dr Liang said they're already in talks with Thriving Southland over possible student research projects and other ways the two groups can help each other.

"We are always keen to hear about any learning opportunities for our students and ways that they can give back to their community".

Aquavan will be returning in Term 2, with a focus on the Central Southland area. 

Thriving Southland Catchment Coordinator, Sarah Thorne is excited to see some strategic local networking come to fruition with a new connection to SIT Environmental Management (EM) students. 

"I'm hoping that more doors may open up because of the opportunities for further collaboration within SIT," says Mrs Thorne.

"I am really chuffed this has worked so well and these new links have been created. It is a small world here in Southland, and I would love to continue the relationship with SIT in the future.  

"We've been talking about options for next year, and can see potential involvement with other SIT programmes as well. Watch this space!"

The Aquavan, Waihopai Catchment Group and Thriving Southland are joining Sunrise Rotary, Environment Southland, Invercargill City Council's 3 Waters Team, Department of Conservation, New River Estuary Forum, Next Generation Rotary and other local Rotary Groups at the ILT Stadium Southland next Saturday.

Sunrise Rotary members will also be installing fish moulds beside stormwater drains around the ILT Stadium Southland, as a reminder for people to think about what they put down drains. This expands the colourful network of fish from Queen's Park.