Resources

Your pathway to LUC-related documentation

An impressive amount of material has been published on the various LUC surveys around the country. As most of this has happened in the pre-digital era and through organisations no longer existing, some documentation can be hard to get.

Try the resources below. If all fails, do not hesitate to contact us.

Key documents

Land Use Capability Survey Handbook (3rd Edition)

2009 / 2021

The handbook introduces the reader to the contemporary methods and standards of the LUC system.

More information

Introductory guide to farm soil mapping

2007

The techniques and tools described in this introductory guide provide a straight forward approach to farm soil mapping.

More information

Urban Land Use Capability Survey Handbook

1987

This handbook describes a system of land classification developed for Urban Land Use Capability (ULUC) surveys.

Go to download page
See all key documents

National legend and regional documentation

national luc
The national LUC legend
Information on the national LUC legend.
Learn more
LUC regions
LUC documentation by region
A page dedicated to NZ regional LUC resources.
Learn more

Library search for LUC related documenation

WorldCat

WorldCat.org offers a comprehensive search for items available from NZ libraries. This includes items on the Manaaki Whenua library catalogue.

For example, a search for documents with 'land use capability' in the title can be done through
https://www.worldcat.org/search?slug=1393492421&q=ti%3A%22land+use+capability%22

Filters can be applied to narrow done the results.

 

National Library

Search New Zealand's largest repository:
https://natlib.govt.nz/items?text=land+use+capability&commit=Search

 

Explore the wide range of our in-house publications

MWLR Publications

Browse and read our newsletters, corporate publications, factsheets, or books & monographs on the New Zealand land environment.

Essential reports and maps have been digitised and are available via the Manaaki Whenua Digital Library.
More information

Related content

NZLRI LUC 2021
Land Resource Information System (LRIS)
Download environment data held by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research for use in GIS and other applications that can handle geospatial data for mapping, querying and spatial analyses
Learn more
Tools
luc applications summary
LUC applications
The Land Use Capability (LUC) system is important to help achieve sustainable land development and management.
Learn more
governance summary
LUC​ governance
The purpose of the Governance Group is to guide the maintenance and future development of the Land Use Capability Classification System (LUCCS). This group aims to recognise both the original intent of the LUCCS and the opportunities for its development.
Learn more
surveys summary
LUC surveys
The New Zealand Land Resources Inventory (NZLRI) projects of the 1970s and 1980s mapped LUC regionally.
This was done for a variety of reasons relating to size and experience of the mapping teams, logistics of the mapping approach, and the contractual setting.
Five key physical soil and land resource factors that drive land use capability were mapped.
Learn more
Hen and Chicken fern (Mother Spleenwort, Pikopiko, Mouku). Image: Bradley White, Manaaki Whenua
New Zealand legislation
New Zealand's resource management system is designed to support development within environmental limits and is required to give effect to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi - Treaty of Waitangi
Learn more
Manawatu. Image: Kim Triegaardt, Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research
Our Environment
Our Environment is an interactive, free service that provides you with information about New Zealand's natural environment. One of the important data layers in Our Environment is the Land Use Capability (LUC) classification. A brief description of the LUC data can be viewed, the map key, and information relating to each of the LUC's classes is displayed and reporting tools are available.
Learn more
Tools
tools summary
Tools
Tools providing individuals working in regional and central government, business, research and education with quick and easy access to maps and data of aspects of the New Zealand land environments and environmental data.
Learn more
Tools