Sites and places

GIS often calls every mapped location a site. That is a convenient database label, but very different things can sit behind it.

A gate, monitoring point or pump is usually an operational feature. A wāhi tūpuna, urupā, mahinga kai or whakapapa-linked place may carry histories and relationships that the GIS feature only partly represents.

The useful approach is to say what the record is for and what its geometry means.

A point is not the whole place

A point can represent:

• an exact operational location such as a gate or sample point
• the centre of a larger area
• an approximate reference for research or kōrero
• a deliberately generalised location for a particular map
• a pointer to information held elsewhere

Useful fields can include:

• location_type: exact, approximate, centre_of_area, generalised
• accuracy_m where measured accuracy matters
• status: draft, checked, current, superseded
• source_ref
• source_date
• notes

This prevents coordinate precision from pretending the record contains more certainty or meaning than it does.

Operational and cultural records can use different structures

Operational registers may contain monitoring sites, planting work, buildings, pumps, tracks, culverts and hazard observations. These often benefit from stable IDs, controlled categories and repeatable field forms.

For a culturally significant place, first ask what spatial representation would actually help the kaupapa. The result might be an exact point, approximate area, historical source reference, several candidate locations, or no geometry in this particular system.

That is a data-model choice rather than a universal rule. See What belongs in GIS? and Sensitive places.

Geometry follows the job

Geometry	Useful for	Example
Point	discrete features or reference locations	gate, sample site, sign, approximate research location
Line	routes and linear features	track, fence line, stream reach
Polygon	areas where footprint matters	wetland, restoration area, management zone
Several geometries	different source accounts or uncertainty	historical place with competing locations
No geometry in this layer	information better kept in another record/system	source-only historical reference or kōrero not needing a mapped feature

Several representations can coexist. GIS does not need to force one answer where the sources disagree.

Operational schema

For ordinary site-management data, a compact schema can include:

• site_id
• site_name
• site_type
• description
• source_ref
• captured_date
• checked_date
• status
• location_type
• responsible_role
• notes

Change the fields to fit the mahi. A water-monitoring site and marae asset register will not need identical attributes.

Provenance for cultural places

For a place linked to historical or whānau research, provenance may be more important than adding another technical field.

Depending on the project, retain:

• whānau/hapū/archive/report source relationship
• source title/page/reference
• date or period
• why the place was recorded
• whether the geometry is exact, indicative or interpreted
• alternate names or locations
• notes pointing to fuller kōrero held elsewhere

See Whakapapa of data and Historical research.

Field collection

Common tools include KoboToolbox, QField, ArcGIS Field Maps and Survey123.

A useful operational loop is:

simple field form
      ↓
observation + GPS/photo
      ↓
source/quality check
      ↓
working GIS
      ↓
audience-specific map or report

If unexpected cultural kōrero arises during an asset or monitoring visit, the field form does not need to capture it merely because a notes box exists. Record it in the form only when that helps the kaupapa and the people doing the mahi; otherwise keep the operational record focused and follow up through the project's normal relationships.

Quality checks

For operational site data, check:

• unique IDs
• consistent categories
• plausible geometry
• dates and source fields
• duplicate/retired records
• GPS accuracy where it matters

For historical or cultural place research, also check that the mapped representation matches the source and that uncertainty or competing accounts remain visible where relevant.

Sharing site data

Create an extract or map for the audience rather than automatically exporting the whole working layer. A contractor may need asset locations and work type. A public map may need only restoration areas. A hui map may need labels and source notes that would clutter a field application.

See Prepare information for sharing and Publishing Māori GIS maps.

Useful context sources

• LINZ Basemaps
• LINZ Data Service
• Taiao data
• council planning and hazard viewers

These provide spatial context. They do not replace the whakapapa, history or local understanding of the place.

Last reviewed: 26 August 2026