Soils on the web: Te Ara

摘要

Te Ara or "the pathway" is the new online Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, the world's first purpose-written online encyclopaedia. The general site address is www.teara.govt.nz. Te Ara is published by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage with the general editor being eminent social historian Jock Phillips, appointed in May 2002. Work began on the project in July 2002 and so far three of nine broad themes have been published: "New Zealanders" (launched 8 February 2005), "Earth Sea and Sky" (12 June 2006), and "The Bush" (24 September 2007). Photographs, sounds, moving images, documents, graphs and maps are combined with text. Links provide pathways to the digital collections of libraries, archives and museums around the country. Te Ara allows for the inclusion of community contributions such as photographs, oral histories, or updates of information.