How the Wairarapa Catchment Collective helps farmers look at map data in a new way with 3D printing

By John Hart, partnership lead at the Wairarapa Catchment Collective.

Why do we love maps so much? As far as human technologies go, it’s one of the older ones. The oldest world map that we know of is a 2900 year old Babylonian tablet, and no doubt there were many others before that.

Humans are pattern matching machines, always looking to understand the wider context and where we fit in. As a way of understanding a world that is bigger than just our current viewpoint, you can’t beat a map.

In my day job as partnership lead for the Wairarapa Catchment Collective I’m part of a team supporting farmer-led catchment groups across Wairarapa. Our mission is to help catchment groups achieve more by connecting them with the resources they need to thrive.

Part of that is connecting them to each other, to learn and share ideas, but also showing how they are all part of a bigger picture. Whether it’s farm-scale for planning, or looking out to the wider catchment, the common language is usually maps - visualisations of where we are, and in some cases, where we want to be. 

When it comes to data sources, we are awash with possibilities. Government agencies like LINZ and MfE have a huge array of data layers you can plug into a geographical information system (GIS) to analyse or remix into maps for your specific purpose. 

The challenge with having so much data available has always been how best to visualise it in order to make useful decisions. In the catchment space those questions are often around things like analysing hill slopes to determine erosion risk or planning where to put trees and fences for maximum results.

Adding some new(ish) technology to the mix could make our map data even more engaging and meaningful. 3D printing technology has been around for more than a decade, but more recently it has started to allow the creation of three dimensional interpretations of map data. 

The process of converting map data into a file suitable for 3D printing is a little bit technical, but one of the easiest ways to do it is with the R programming language - it’s designed for statistical computing, but it also happens to be really good at transforming map data.

There is something magical about watching a 3D print emerge from nothing as the printer builds it layer by layer out of molten plastic. Even more so when it’s a piece of landscape you know and live in.

Being able to hold a three dimensional piece of the map in your hand is a neat experience and it allows us to think about and interact with map data in a different way. The newer multi-colour 3D printers even allow you to pick out details like waterways in another colour. In theory, any data layer you can find from walking tracks and huts, to trap locations could be added to a 3D printed map.

As a tool for visualising landscape data it’s pretty compelling. Almost everyone I’ve seen interacting with a 3D printed map will marvel at the little details, tracing the contours of their valley, or pointing out where their place is.

Usually the first question is: “can I get one of my farm?” Fortunately with the high-resolution map data we have for most of the country the answer is yes. At least that’s my Christmas list sorted for the farmers in the family!