01 May 2026 Soil map for England and Wales is now available to all

May marks a significant milestone for soil.  The National Soil Map for England and Wales (NATMAP), alongside a range of additional LandIS (Land Information System) datasets, are now openly accessible to all through a new public portal.  This follows a collaborative effort by Defra and Cranfield University to make our most comprehensive soils datasets publicly available. Alongside this, Defra is publishing a new and updated version of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) map for England.  The soil map is one of the largest systems of its kind in Europe and is recognised as the definitive source of national soils information in England and Wales. It has information from over 30,000 soil samples and more than 250,000 soil observations.

View the Land Information Services Portal here.  Read more about the initiative on this Defra blog post.