Permanent Forest Sink Initiative Guidelines
Mapping conventions
MAF requires applications to participate in the PFSI to include a planimetric (two-dimensional, non-topographic) map area of the forest land in question. This needs to be submitted either in the form of a) geospatial data or b) a survey plan, in the formats prescribed below. MAF cannot accept this information in any form other than those explained below, so please read these criteria carefully. Applicants who are not familiar with using GIS software or GPS receivers may need to engage a GIS mapping expert to assist them in the preparation of the PFSI map.
a) Geospatial data
MAF will only accept geospatial (i.e. GIS) data that is submitted in shapefile format or GPS derived bounding coordinates. A shapefile is a digital data format used within geographic information systems (GIS) software which geographically describes an area (i.e. polygon) and its associated attribute information (e.g. forest areas and their attributes).
For MAF’s purposes, a shapefile consists of four mandatory files, all of which must be submitted as the cumulative shapefile:
• .shp file — shape format; the feature geometry itself (i.e. forest areas).
• .shx file — shape index format; a positional index of the feature geometry (i.e. forest areas) to allow seeking forwards and backwards quickly.
• .dbf file — attribute format; forest attributes for each forest area within the shapefile.
• .prj file — projection format; the coordinate system and projection information for the shapefile.
Bounding coordinates (i.e. waypoints) derived from a Global Positioning System (GPS) must be provided to MAF in the following format:
• Bounding coordinates must be captured using the New Zealand Transverse Mercator 2000 Projection as geospatial reference/coordinate system (see the New Zealand Transverse Mercator 2000 Projection section below).
• Bounding coordinates must be supplied in the chronological order in which they were captured – i.e. when capturing the boundary of a forest area it should begin and end at the same point and submitted to MAF in that order.
• Bounding coordinates must be supplied in either a text file (.txt format) or as a database file (.dbf format – common format within Microsoft Excel).
b) Survey data
MAF will only accept survey data that is capable of being deposited under the Land Transfer Act 1952 that identifies the boundaries of each area of forest.
Survey plans that are undertaken for the purposes of mapping forest boundaries to be contained in a PFSI application will be need to be captured according to the parameters set out within the New Zealand Transverse Mercator 2000 Projection (See the Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) website www.linz.govt.nz or phone LINZ on 0800 665 463 for the list of New Zealand Transverse Mercator 2000 Projection parameters.)
Mapping Accuracy
• Shapefiles should adhere to a minimum positional accuracy/mapping standard of +/- 10 metres – i.e. shapefile boundaries should be digitised/recorded at no more than +/-10 meters from the actual forest boundaries they represent in the field.
• Shapefiles should be digitised/recorded from orthographically corrected aerial photography or satellite imagery with a minimum positional accuracy/mapping standard of no more than +/- 10 metres.
• Shapefile data should reference the New Zealand Transverse Mercator 2000 Projection as their spatial coordinate system. The New Zealand Transverse Mercator 2000 Projection (NZTM2000) is the current national projection for topographic mapping in New Zealand. It utilises the New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000 and supersedes the New Zealand Map Grid (NZMG) projection which was in terms of the New Zealand Geodetic Datum 1949. NZTM2000 is defined in the LINZ Standard LINZS25002, which is provided on the Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) website. LINZ provides transformation assistance between NZMG and NZTM2000 on their website.
• MAF will accept shapefile data captured in other spatial coordinate systems provided the applicant clearly indicates which standard spatial coordinate system the data reference – i.e. New Zealand Map Grid 1949 (NZMG1949), WGS 1984, or similar.
For applications greater than 50 hectares:
• Geospatial data (as outlined in the specifications above).
• Survey plan (as outlined in the specifications above).
For applications of 50 hectares or less
• Either of the above methods; or
• GPS coordinates – an applicant could capture the boundary of an area using a handheld GPS receiver, and then submit the text file of bounding coordinates to MAF.
MAF will not accept:
• Hand drawn maps (or any other diagrams)
• Geospatial data files other than ESRI shapefiles in the required format.
Contact for Enquiries
Sustainable Programmes
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
14 Sir William Pickering Drive
PO Box 20 280
Bishopdale
Christchurch 8053
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: 64 3 943 3700
Fax: 64 3 943 3701
Te Papa Tipu Innovation Park
99 Sala Street
PO Box 1340
Rotorua 3040
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: 64 7 921 3400
Fax: 64 7 921 3402
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