Land Resource Information System (LRIS)

The Land Resource Information System (LRIS) is NZs spatial representation of land (LRIS) and soil (feed in from NSDR). It comprises a suite of national-scale spatial data (observed and derived) layers, including: the NZ Resource Inventory (NZLRI) and Land Use Capability (LUC), a national database of physical land resource information. Its core is two sets of data compiled using stereo aerial photography, published and unpublished reference material, and extensive field work: a. An inventory of five physical factors (rock type, soil, slope, present type and severity of erosion, and vegetation). A homogeneous unit area approach is used to record the five physical factors simultaneously to a level of detail appropriate for presentation at a scale of 1:50,000. b. A Land Use Capability (LUC) rating of the ability of each polygon to sustain agricultural production, based on an assessment of the inventory factors above, climate, the effects of past land use, and the potential for erosion. The NZLRI covers the country in 11 regions, each with a separate LUC classification.