About Surveying

Federation Internationale des Geometres (FIG)

 International Definition of Surveying

'A surveyor is a professional, skilled in measurement and resource management, who serves the public by the collection, provision and analysis of information on the extent and identity of land, water and other natural resources - including legal, economic and environmental aspects - and the provision of advice and services for their development, use and sustained management.'

From the earliest civilisations, there has been a requirement for surveyors to measure land and set out construction.
Today as people search for new and sustainable ways to manage the resources of the planet, surveyors continue to be found at the forefront of development whether on land, at sea, above or beneath the Earth's surface.

What identifies all surveyors is their expertise in the science of measurement and expertise in gathering and applying spatial information to a wide range of  uses.
Surveyors can specialise in gathering and using spatial information in a range of disciplines,like land surveying, engineering surveying, geodesy, hydrographic surveying, mine surveying, geographic information systems or aerial mapping. 

Once spatial data has been gathered and processed it can be made available in many forms that are recognisable to the public, for example, topographical maps and plans, specialised maps on almost any theme, nautical charts and subdivision plans. 

Surveyors are experts in applying spatial information through processes including land and resource planning, engineering design for land development, surveys for land title and geographic information systems.
Surveying spans everything from astronomy to the positioning of telephone cables in your local street or thousands of metres below the sea. 

It is a practical science that enables projects to be planned and executed with the utmost confidence. Wherever you go in New Zealand a surveyor has been in the area before you. You've probably seen a trig station on a hilltop or noticed a surveyor looking through an instrument on top of a tripod. Surveyors measure the shape and dimensions of land in cities, towns, the countryside, remote bush areas, at sea, from the air, and underground.

Land surveyors have been at the very heart of land development since New Zealand was first settled. Surveyors often hold key leadership roles within multi-disciplined teams comprising surveyors, engineers, planners, and architects.

The New Zealand surveyor is educated in many aspects of law dealing with land ownership, resource management and planning. Knowledge of such laws is essential to the proper execution of any development.

Surveyors are trained in all aspects of their profession but many choose to specialise later in their career.