The New Zealand Field Soils Shortcourse
Soil tells us what land can and can’t do. Soil Lingo 2026 is your chance to get into the field, build your practical soil skills and get better at reading those signals. Learn alongside students, early-career and experienced soil scientists, land professionals and soil enthusiasts from across New Zealand. Join us in Christchurch immediately before Soils Ōtautahi 2026, the biennial New Zealand Soil Science Conference.
What is it?
Soil Lingo is a three-day, hands-on field course in practical soil observation and interpretation. Working directly with experienced New Zealand soil professionals, you will learn to:
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Observe soils in the landscape
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Recognise and describe important differences
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Classify soil types, and
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Interpret what those differences mean in practice.
Short in-field seminars will connect what you see in the soil to the wider landscape – how soils develop, what shapes them, and what they mean for how land functions and can be used. Local land managers will share their experience of working with these soils.
You’ll learn alongside people who work with land in different ways, with plenty of opportunity to compare observations, ask questions and learn across professions and disciplines.
Why field soil skills matter
We are asking more of our land than ever before.
Field soil interpretation underpins decisions and research across:
As our ability to map, model and manage land grows, so does the need for people who understand the real soils behind the data.
Yet field soil skills are in short supply, experienced mentors are scarce, and opportunities to develop these skills are increasingly hard to come by.
Professional Development | 23 hours CPD*
* Soil Lingo 2026 is fully structured to meet the compliance frameworks of major New Zealand professional bodies.
Who is it for?
People who make decisions about land. People who advise them. People who study, map, model or manage soil. And people who simply want to understand soil better.
Soil Lingo brings together people who work with soil and land in very different ways. That mix is part of the experience: you’ll learn not only from experienced soil professionals, but from other participants who approach the same landscape from different perspectives.
Who should have these skills – and why?
Why support attendance?
Field soil expertise supports land assessment, environmental research, planning and decision-making, but opportunities to develop that expertise through direct experience are limited.
Soil Lingo provides three days of intensive, practical professional development that is impossible to replicate through conventional courses, conferences or online training.
Participants return with greater confidence and capability in soil description, classification, interpretation, land assessment, soil–landscape understanding and field-based problem solving, as well as new contacts and professional networks.
Soil Lingo 2026 provides 23 hours of verifiable Continuing Professional Development (CPD), structured to satisfy the CPD compliance networks of major New Zealand professional bodies such as NZIPIM (Registered Farm Consultant), NZGS/Engineering NZ (CPEng), or Certified Environmental Practitioner (CEnVP).
Learn more about CPD here.
How does it work?
Soil Lingo is an entirely field-based training event held every two years in a new landscape, exposing participants to different soils, landforms, drainage conditions and interpretation challenges. No single event can represent the diversity of New Zealand soils. Returning participants encounter a new landscape each time, continuing to build the breadth of field experience that underpins good soil judgement.
Required equipment list
Days 1 & 2 Learn in the field
Work through soil profiles with your team and a range of experienced practitioners. Observe, describe, classify, interpret and discuss what you see, with short seminars and guidance along the way.
Day 3 Put your skills to the test
Apply what you’ve learned independently in a friendly soil judging competition*. You and your team will work through two new soils, completing the entire process from start to finish. For the final soil, you'll work independently.
*Why a competition?
Because at some point, you have to make the call yourself.
On the final day, participants independently describe and interpret new soils under time constraints, working both in teams and individually, before comparing their results with an expert assessment. It’s a chance to test your judgement, see where your interpretation differs, and learn from the reasoning behind the expert assessment.
The emphasis isn’t on winning. The competition creates a structured opportunity to make your own observations and interpretations, commit to them, learn from mistakes, and build confidence in your own field judgement.
Programme at a glance
Thursday 26 November
Welcome BBQ dinner
Friday 27 November
Field Training: Christchurch
Saturday 28 November
Field Training: Lincoln
Sunday 29 NOVEMBER
Soil Judging Competition: Christchurch
MONDAY 30 NOVEMBER
Prize giving
(SOILS OTAUTAHI 2026)
VOLUNTEER ROLES
Event volunteers receive a FREE event T-shirt, FREE attendance at the Welcome BBQ, FREE catering over the three days, and a FREE daily coffee from the coffee cart!
This event relies on volunteers to keep things running smoothly. It’s also a great way to be part of the event, meet people from across the soil community and learn along the way. No soil expertise is required – students, professionals and anyone with an interest in soils are welcome.
Volunteers help with site set-up and pack-down, directing participants, timekeeping, looking after equipment, maintaining pit faces, communication between sites, and competition marking and data entry.
Please contact us at sjc@nzsss.org.nz if you are interested in helping out!
Equipment
Equipment List
You are responsible for supplying your own equipment for the competition. If you have any questions about required gear please contact josh.nelson@lincoln.ac.nz.
Required equipment
Some of this may be provided on a per pit basis, however supplies will be limited so please bring what you can.
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Soil Description Handbook for New Zealand (preferably a printed copy of 3rd edition, but older versions are okay): https://manaakiwhenua.github.io/NZ_soildesc_2024/
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New Zealand Soil Classification (preferably a printed copy of 4th edition, but older versions are okay): https://manaakiwhenua.github.io/nzsc_v4/
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Clipboard + pens/pencils
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Tool for picking – Niwishi, digi-digi, putty knife or similar
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Tool for collecting samples - trowel or similar
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Water spray bottle
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Trays for samples – muffin tray, disposable oven tray, plastic container, paper bowls or similar (minimum of storage for 6 samples recommended)
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2mm sieve
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Ruler or tape measure
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Hand lens
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Munsell soil colour book
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Hand towel or cloth
Personal gear
All participants must be prepared to deal with a range of possible weather conditions.
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Sunhat + sunglasses
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Sunscreen
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Water bottle
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Sturdy enclosed shoes e.g. boots/gumboots
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Warm clothes
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Wet weather gear
Accommodation
Participants are responsible for finding their own accommodation. We recommend staying in Christchurch and hiring a car, as you will need to get yourself to the event locations in southern Christchurch and Lincoln.
Shirt sizing
Contact details
Please direct any questions to sjc@nzsss.org.nz
Sponsorship opportunities
Soil Lingo 2026 offers great sponsorship opportunities. Print your logo on our event shirt. Raise your banner at our field sites. Be recognised on our website. Contact us at admin@on-cue.co.nz if you are interested in sponsoring this event.
Sponsors
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORs
