Rodney Soils and Catchment Maps
What does a soil map show us?
This map shows general soil types across the Rodney area. This map indicates which soils may be more prone to drought and flooding, erosion and soil loss. It also indicates which soils may have better drainage and poorer drainage.What are the common soils found in the Rodney area?
Why is this relevant to my property?
Knowing your soil type is crucial for effective soil improvement. The best approach starts with knowing what you plan to grow, your soil's "texture" (the percentage of sand, silt, and clay), and its "structure" (friability).
Some soils may only require increased fertility, while others need significant changes in their structure. Adding organic matter improves both structure and fertility but can be expensive over large areas. Adding gypsum can also improve soil structure but does not work on all clays. Biochar is consistently effective in changing soil structure across all clay types but needs thoughtful application.
Understanding your current soil type will help you choose the most cost-effective path to improvement.
What are the common soils found in the Rodney area?
The most common soil is shown as a yellow green colour (Ultic Yellow) and a lighter green (Ultic Albic). These are ancient, weathered soils characterised by a shallow topsoil with a band of leached, infertile soil below the topsoil and a type of clay called “koalinite” in the subsoil.
South Head has a range of newer soils that tend to be freer-draining than the inland soils.
More information about the soil types can be found at
https://soils.landcareresearch.co.nz/topics/soil-classification/nzsc
https://soils.landcareresearch.co.nz/topics/soil-classification/nzsc/soil-drainage
Where can I go to find information about how to improve my soils?
In the Rodney area a series of workshops are being held in 2026 through the Rural Resilience Project . They will be covering how to identify your soil type and how to improve it for different uses–pasture, tree crops or horticulture. What is unique about these workshops is that they will cover new methodologies using regenerative pasture management, biochar, swaling and on-farm composting. You can sign up below to receive information about upcoming workshops and farm tours.
Interested? Let’s chat.
Simply fill in your details, and a team member will get in touch to discuss your needs and answer any questions you may have. They can also arrange a site visit, giving you the opportunity to see the process in action and learn how it can be applied to your property.