Lesson 4
Procedure to Load Farm and Field Boundaries from Google Earth
into QGIS
Google Earth can be used to create maps for nutrient management plans by outlining farm and
field boundaries.
The image is saved (File>Save> Image) as a jpeg file and inserted into a Word document for
inclusion into the plan. The image saved is not referenced geographically, so it cannot be added
to QGIS. To accomplish this, the image must be saved as a keyhole markup language file (kml).
While individual fields can be saved and added, saving the whole farm is more practical for the
purpose of nutrient management.
1. Right click on the farm folder under which all field and property boundary polygons are
saved.
2. Click on save Place As
3. Change directory to the client’s folder and preferably a “map” subfolder.
4. Change the “Save as type” from kmz to kml.
5. Click Save.
Loading File Into QGIS
To load the file into QGIS,
highlight the layer at the top of
the layer window. This will
ensure that when the kml file is
loaded, it will be on top and not
hidden by other layers.
Continued
Click on the “Add Vector” Icon
and navigate to the folder where
the kml file was saved.
Make sure “keyhole markup file”
is selected under the file type.
Select the file and click open.
Click Open
The file will be added to the top
of the list. It will not show up on
the Map canvas.
Continued
Highlight the farm and click on
the “Zoom to Layer” Icon.
When loaded, the file will be
filled in. Depending on the order
of layers, the field polygons may
be on top of the property
polygons, but in this case because
the property polygon was the last
to be drawn, it hides the fields.
Continued
To show what is underneath, the
properties of the farm must be
changed. Right click on the farm
Layer and select “Properties”
from the drop down list. Select
Style. Click on “Simple Fill” and
change “Fill Style” from Solid to
No Brush.
Click OK.
Change Border color to yellow
and change border width to .86
(You may have to delete zeros
and numbers to then type in .86).
To save time and be consistent
with maps, this style can be saved
by clicking Style > Save Style >
QGIS Layer Style File.
Continued
Name the File: “Property Line
and Field Borders”. Click “Save”.
Click OK.
To use this style:
1. Load the kml file of the
farm.
2. Right Click on
Properties.
3. Click on “Style”.
4. Load Style
5. Choose the saved style.
Continued
The QGIS Map now shows Field
and property boundaries.
Lesson 5 will provide instruction on documenting slope and distance to water.
Updated: 5/2/16