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Home > Soils > Maps for land managers >

Maps for land managers

The Department of Natural Resources provides a wide variety of maps used by government agencies, organisations and individuals for informed, wise decision making in planning, management and development of the soil and land resources of NSW.

The maps are the product of extensive data accumulated by over 25 years of meticulous soil survey work in the field, laboratory testing of soil samples, aerial photography, satellite imagery, digital analysis, and expert interpretation.

Work is continuing to map the soil landscapes of NSW at 1:100 000 scale on the coast and tablelands, and at 1: 250 000 scale to the west of the tablelands. The Soil Landscapes of the Sydney 1:100 000 Map Sheet was the first in the series to be published, released in 1989.

Soil landscapes are natural areas of land that have similar topography and soils, which can be specifically and concisely described, and shown on maps. Many types of maps customised for specific purposes are produced from the soil landscapes data.

Lands Systems Maps have been completed for the Western Division of NSW, showing basic soil types, natural vegetation, areas of erosion and saline soils.

Areas that contain acid sulfate soils have also been mapped along the entire coast of NSW. These maps were first published in 1995, and updated in 1997.

A range of maps relevant to salinity management are being produced by DNR including mapping of recharge and run–off, potential discharge areas, salt outbreak areas, and groundwater flow systems.

Land use is mapped at 1:50 000 scale showing the locations of 240 classes of use including native vegetation, cropping, various types of livestock, irrigated land, forestry plantation, orchards and urban uses. The maps are used by state, regional and local government agencies and planning authorities for a wide variety of purposes. Distribution of the maps is limited to major users; however, land use data sets are available from the Department for technical specialists.