Environment and Land Information

The Southland region relies on its land resource for its social and economic survival. The region has large areas of high class soils and microclimates capable of growing highly productive pastures and a wide range of crops. It is important to be able to identify these areas to ensure a sustainable future.

Southland land owners are fortunate to have access to the results of one of the most comprehensive regional surveys of soil and climate in New Zealand. The Topoclimate Survey of Southland and South Otago was carried out over three years, between 1998 and 2001. It covered approximately 825,000 hectares of the intensively farmed land of the region. The results of the survey were published as a series of 36 district soil and climate maps at a scale of 1:50,000.

This scale is capable of identifying significant variations at the farm level, which is sufficient for most land users. It is more detailed than any previous surveys of Southland, although some intensive soil surveys have been carried out previously on small portions of the region.

This survey information is available on line in the form of interactive maps and soil information sheets.