Tools

The right soils tool for the job

Soil data are gathered for many different reasons, each with their own specialist techniques. But wherever they are from, most data finish up in a few key databases managed by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research.

Choose from the tools below. Short descriptions are provided to help you understand what a specific tool is about. If you are still unsure which tool is the right one for you, why not try our tools finder to narrow down your choice?

Explore our Tools

S-map Online

The digital soil map for New Zealand

S-map is the digital soil map of New Zealand. It is the most comprehensive source of quantitative soil information available.

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LRIS Portal

Spatial soil data layers at your fingertips

The Land Resource Information System (LRIS) provides data layers for mapping, querying, and spatial analysis

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SoilsMapViewer (FSL)

Explore Fundamental Soil Layers (FSL) data

The maps show a range of soil attributes derived from the dominant soils depicted in the 1:50,000 scale New Zealand Fundamental Soil Layers.

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Legacy Soil Map Viewer

Low-barrier spatial search for historic soil maps

A tool to spatially explore the legacy soil maps produced by NZ Soil Bureau and its predecessors between 1932 and 1989.

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Our Environment

An online atlas of our land resources

View these interactive maps to learn about your local environment and regional differences.

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Land Resources Portal

A service for Land Use Capability (LUC) practitioners

The Land Resources Portal provides convenient access to documentation concerning the mapping of land use capability (LUC) in New Zealand, including extended legends for all NZ regions.

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National Soil Data Repository (NSDR)

Our soil observations database

The National Soil Database Repository stores soil descriptions and associated analytical results.

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Pacific Soils Portal

Pacific soils, their health and uses

Information and knowledge on Pacific soils, their health and uses, covering Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu.

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NZLRI – Soil

Soil and land resources mapped at the national scale

View New Zealand Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI) soil data in the Land Resource Information (LRIS) Portal.

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Whenua Māori Visualisation Tool

Helping Māori land owners and managers find out more about the physical characteristics, constraints and potential of their whenua Māori.

The environmental data for each Māori land block have been modelled and interpreted to give basic information on land resource characteristics, versatility for use, land suitability, sustainable land-use recommendations, and land potential.

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Antarctic Soils Explorer

Dedicated platform with historic (1964-1999) soil sample data, photographs, field books, publications and verbal accounts.

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As part of the National Science Challenge 'Our Land and Water' a Resource Finder has been set up. This allows you to search for journal articles, technical reports, presentations, videos, guidance docs, infographics, maps and models produced as part of the challenge.

Explore Soil Items in the Resource Finder