This page contains an overview of how to get started with the basic functionality of the mapping tool. A more detailed walkthrough can be accessed whenever you see Detailed Help in the text below.
Clicking on the 
EXPLORE MAPS button or the Maps & Tools > Maps link in the top navigation bar, will take you to a page where you can select and view soil maps of New Zealand.
The map page consists of a main map window, surrounded by a series of panels and controls which enable map navigation, map viewing, querying for data, reporting and printing of the map layers.
Fig. 1. Map page.
1. Map window - Interact with and view maps.
2. Control panel - Various controls.
3. SEARCH panel - Search for a particular location using geographic coordinates, a place name or an address.
4. LAYERS panel - Control which layers are drawn on the map. Tick check boxes to turn layers on or off. Click layer name to view information about a layer. This will be displayed in the METADATA panel.
5. LEGEND panel - Displays a map key.
6. METADATA panel - Displays descriptive information about the selected map layer, including a link to download the original data, if available.
7. Navigation panel - Links to different pages of the site and other sites of interest.
8. GET REPORTS panel - Add features of interest to the map to generate a report. Choose from point, area, map extent or predefined features. The data displayed depends on which science layer you have selected.
9. MY FEATURES panel - If you save a pin, this is where they will appear.
Interacting with the map
To move around the map, click and drag the map to pan (move) to another location. You can zoom into the map (to see more detail) and zoom out of the map (to see less detail) using the zoom buttons (+ / -). You can also use keyboard controls: arrow keys to pan, and + / - to zoom in / out. Detailed Help
Finding a particular place on the map
If you are looking for a particular place, the quickest way to find it is to use the SEARCH tool (3). Searching works with geographic coordinates, a place name or an address. Detailed Help
Viewing map layers including soil information layers
You can view the different soil layers using the LAYERS panel (4).
Make sure the LAYERS panel is expanded by tapping the button. Tick a box to view the layer on the map. Tick another box to view another layer. Note that only one S-map layer can be viewed at a time on the map. However, you can turn on or off specific features (classes) within a layer to view those classes on the map.
You need to have zoomed into a scale of 1:250,000 or larger to view the S-map polygons and labels.
Learning about a particular map layer
The METADATA panel (6) displays background information about the layer you have currently selected. Further details about particular features (classes) making up a layer can be found in the LEGEND panel (5). To view this information, click on a layer in the LAYERS panel, and make sure the METADATA or LEGEND panel is open. The active layer will be highlighted.
View information for a particular location / area
You can view a report for a selected layer in the GET REPORTS / SOIL REPORT panel (8). You can obtain reports either for a single location, by using the Soil Summary button 
, for an area you define yourself on the map 
, the current map extent (window) 
, or for areas (polygons) you select on the map from either the LINZ property boundaries or Māori Land Blocks.
Each of these options requires you to perform a slightly different set of actions, but the basis of it is:
1) Choose what you want the report to be based upon.
2) Interact with the map to specify the location or area you are interested in.
Once the report has been requested using one of the above methods, this panel will change to SOIL REPORT and a report preview will appear. The form of this report depends which type of report has been chosen. Detailed Help
Viewing a soil factsheet
You can obtain various soil factsheets that describes the typical average properties of that specified soil type from the links in the S-map Data section in SOIL REPORT panel. Choosing 'Soil Map Unit Factsheet' will open a new window which contains detailed information, including charts and tables about the various soil properties of that map unit, including texture, permeability and available water. This report can be shared and printed. In addition, two forms of PDF factsheet can be viewed / downloaded by clicking on a soil name in the table, 'improved' and 'classic'. Choose one of these and after a few moments a window will appear asking you what you want to do with the PDF file. Depending on how your computer and browser is set up, you will either be able to view the PDF file directly or save it to your computer.
Download the underlying data
We provide a link, Obtain Data in the Layer METADATA if the data used to produce a map layer is available for downloading. If you click on the link, the relevant page from the website hosting the data will appear in a new browser window. In most cases this will be Manaaki Whenua's LRIS Portal.
Printing a map
Use the Print facility to create printable PDF maps in A4 and A3 size, in portrait or landscape layout and at various scales. Detailed Help
Last updated: 13 January 2021
This page contains an overview of how to get started with the basic functionality of the mapping tool. A more detailed walkthrough can be accessed whenever you see Detailed Help in the text below.
N.B. Using the site on a tablet device results in a reduced feature set. To enjoy all the functionality we recommend viewing the site on a desktop / laptop. The more detailed help is also available when you use the site on a desktop or laptop device.
The images shown below may differ slightly to how things look on your device. This is due to the differences in screen size and resolution across different tablet devices. The layout of the website may also vary depending on whether you are viewing the site in portrait or landscape.
Tapping the EXPLORE MAPS button or the Maps & Tools > Maps link in the top navigation bar, will take you to a page where you can select and view soil maps of New Zealand.
The map page consists of a main map window, surrounded by a series of panels and controls which enable map navigation, map viewing, querying for data, reporting and printing of the soil map layers.
Fig. 1. Map page.1. Map window - Interact with and view maps.
a. Zoom buttons - Zoom in and out of the map.
b. Layer transparency - Alter the transparency of the science layers.
c. Overview map - Shows the larger geographic context of your current map.
d. Locate me - Zoom the map to your current location.
e. Attribution - Copyright information.
f. Scale Bar.
2. Control panel - Various controls relating to interacting with the map and querying for data, printing, sharing and advanced settings.
a. Reset - Reset map and layers to default settings.
b. Set map scale - Zoom in and out by changing the map's cartographic scale. This is approximate.
c. Previous / next extent - Cycle between previously viewed maps.
d. Full screen - Switch to full screen mode.
e. Max extent - Zoom map to full geographic extent.
f. Share map - Create a URL link to share the current map with other users.
g. Print map - Open the print window to create a custom PDF.
h. Send Feedback - Opens the contact form for sending us feedback or telling us about a problem you are having.
i. Help - Display summary help window.
j. Settings - Displays the advanced settings window. In this window you can change the image resolution of the map, allow more control of map layers, and change the interaction style between mouse and touch (if you have a touch enabled device).
k. Soil Summary - Activate Soil Summary query mode.
3. SEARCH panel - Search for a particular location using geographic coordinates, a place name or an address.
4. LAYERS panel - Control which layers are drawn. Tick check boxes to turn layers on or off. Touch layer name to view layer information, which will be displayed in the LEGEND panel.
5. MY FEATURES panel - Saved pins and features, generated from the REPORTS panel, will appear here.
6. LEGEND panel - Displays a map key.
7. METADATA panel - Displays descriptive information about the selected map layer, including a link to download the original data, if available.
8. REPORTS panel - Generate reports by touching the map to add pins, areas (polygons) or choose from predefined areas.
9. Navigation panel - Links to different pages of the site and other sites of interest.
Interacting with the map
To move around the map, tap and drag the map to pan (move) to another location, or zoom into the map (see more detail) and zoom out (see less detail) using the zoom buttons (1a). Detailed Help
Finding a particular place on the map
If you are looking for a particular place, the quickest way to find it is to use the SEARCH tool (3). Searching works with geographic coordinates, a place name or an address. Detailed Help
Viewing map layers including soil information layers
You can view the different soil layers using the LAYERS panel (4).
Make sure the LAYERS panel is expanded by tapping the button. Tick a box to view the layer on the map. Tick another box to view another layer. Note that only one S-map layer can be viewed at a time on the map. However, you can turn on or off specific features (classes) within a layer to view those classes on the map.
You need to have zoomed into a scale of 1:250,000 or larger to view the S-map polygons and labels.
View information for a particular location / area
You can view a report for a selected layer in the GET REPORTS / SOIL REPORT panel (8). You can obtain reports either for a single location, by using the Soil Summary button , for an area you define yourself on the map , the current map extent (window) , or for areas (polygons) you select on the map from either the LINZ property boundaries or Māori Land Blocks.
Each of these options requires you to perform a slightly different set of actions, but the basis of it is:
1) Choose what you want the report to be based upon.
2) Interact with the map to specify the location or area you are interested in.
Once the report has been requested using one of the above methods, this panel will change to SOIL REPORT and a report preview will appear. The form of this report depends which type of report has been chosen. Detailed Help
Viewing a soil factsheet
You can obtain various soil factsheets that describes the typical average properties of that specified soil type from the links in the S-map Data section in SOIL REPORT panel. Choosing 'Soil Map Unit Factsheet' will open a new window which contains detailed information, including charts and tables about the various soil properties of that map unit, including texture, permeability and available water. This report can be shared and printed. In addition, two forms of PDF factsheet can be viewed / downloaded by clicking on a soil name in the table, 'improved' and 'classic'. Choose one of these and after a few moments a window will appear asking you what you want to do with the PDF file. Depending on how your computer and browser is set up, you will either be able to view the PDF file directly or save it to your computer.
Printing a map
Use the Print facility to create printable PDF maps in A4 and A3 size, in portrait or landscape layout and at various scales. Detailed Help
Last updated: 25 August 2020
This page contains an overview of how to get started with the basic functionality of the mapping tool. A more detailed walkthrough can be accessed whenever you see Detailed Help in the text below.
N.B. Using the site on a smart phone device results in a reduced feature set. To enjoy all functionality we recommend using the web site on a desktop / laptop.
The images shown below may differ slightly to how things look on your smart phone device. This is due to differences in screen size and resolution across different devices. The layout of the web site may also vary depending on whether you are viewing the site in portrait or landscape.
Tapping the EXPLORE MAPS button or the Maps & Tools > Maps link in the top navigation bar, will take you to a page where you can select and view soil maps of New Zealand.
The map page consists of a main map window, surrounded by a series of panels and controls which enable map navigation, map viewing, querying for data, reporting and printing of the soil map layers.
Fig. 1. Map page. - Main menu - Contains links to all major sections of the site.
- SEARCH panel - Search for a particular location using geographic coordinates, a place name or an address.
- LEGEND panel - Displays a map key.
- MY FEATURES panel - Saved pins and features, generated from the REPORTS panel, will appear here.
- LAYERS panel - Control which layers are drawn. Tick check boxes to turn layers on or off. Click layer name to view layer information, which will be displayed in the LEGEND panel.
- Zoom buttons - Zoom in and out of the map.
- Layer transparency - Alter the transparency of the environmental science layers.
- Map window - Interact with and view maps.
- Locate me - Zoom map to your current location.
- Attribution - Copyright information.
- Settings - Displays the advanced settings window. In this window you can change the image resolution of the map, allow more control of map layers, and change the interaction style between mouse and touch (if you have a touch enabled device).
- GET REPORTS menu - Generate reports by touching the map to add pins, areas (polygons) or choose from predefined areas.
Interacting with the map
To move around the map, tap and drag the map to pan (move) to another location, or zoom into the map (see more detail) and zoom out (see less detail) using the zoom buttons (6). Detailed Help
Finding a particular place on the map
If you are looking for a particular place, the quickest way to find it is to use the SEARCH tool (2). Searching works with geographic coordinates, a place name or an address. Detailed Help
Viewing map layers including soil information layers
You can view the different soil layers using the LAYERS panel (5).
Make sure the LAYERS panel is expanded by tapping the button. Tick a box to view the layer on the map. Tick another box to view another layer. Note that only one S-map layer can be viewed at a time on the map. However, you can turn on or off specific features (classes) within a layer to view those classes on the map.
You need to have zoomed into a scale of 1:250,000 or larger to view the S-map polygons and labels.
View information for a particular location / area
You can view a report for a selected layer using the GET REPORTS menu, accessed via the
button. Tapping this button opens the GET REPORTS menu (Fig.2).
Fig. 2. Add Features menu.
You can obtain reports either for a single location, by using the Soil Summary button , for an area you define yourself on the map , the current map extent (window) , or for areas (polygons) you select on the map from either the LINZ parcels or Māori Land Blocks.
Each of these options requires you to perform a slightly different set of actions, but the basis of it is:
1) Choose what you want the report to be based upon.
2) Interact with the map to specify the location or area you are interested in.
Once the report has been requested using one of the above methods, this menu will change to SOIL REPORT and a report preview will appear. The form of this report depends which type of report has been chosen. Detailed Help
Viewing a soil factsheet
You can obtain various soil factsheets that describes the typical average properties of that specified soil type from the links in the S-map Data section in SOIL REPORT panel. Choosing 'Soil Map Unit Factsheet' will open a new window which contains detailed information, including charts and tables about the various soil properties of that map unit, including texture, permeability and available water. This report can be shared and printed. In addition, two forms of PDF factsheet can be viewed / downloaded by clicking on a soil name in the table, 'improved' and 'classic'. Choose one of these and after a few moments a window will appear asking you what you want to do with the PDF file. Depending on how your computer and browser is set up, you will either be able to view the PDF file directly or save it to your computer.
Learning more about a map layer
Further details about particular features (classes) making up a layer can be found in the LEGEND panel (3). To view this information, tap on a layer in the LAYERS panel, then open the LEGEND panel.
Last updated: 25 August 2020