Natural resources play a crucial role in your city’s economy in City Skylines II. There are four primary types: fertile land, forests, oil, and ore. Each map has a unique distribution of these resources, which can be seen in the map selection menu when starting a new game.

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1. Understanding Natural Resources

• Fertile Land (Yellow) – Best for agricultural industries.
• Forests (Green) – Supports forestry industries and can be created manually.
• Oil (Black) – High-value, non-renewable resource.
• Ore (Light Blue) – Also non-renewable and supports mining industries.

These colors are gradational, meaning darker areas indicate a higher concentration of resources.

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2. Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Resources

• Renewable: Fertile land and forests do not deplete unless replaced.
• Non-Renewable: Oil and ore will deplete over time unless the Unlimited Oil & Ore mod is enabled.

Important: Planting trees on fertile land removes its agricultural potential, replacing it with a forest resource permanently.

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3. How to Use Natural Resources

Once you reach the second milestone (Worthy Village), you gain access to the Natural Resources Info View, which allows you to:

• Locate resource-rich areas.
• Monitor resource availability and usage.

Even if your map lacks a specific resource, your city can import raw materials to sustain industry demands.

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4. Specialized Industry Districts

Zoned industries do not level up but can be optimized by applying Industrial Specializations:

• Agriculture (Unlocked at Milestone 2)
• Forestry (Unlocked at Milestone 2)
• Ore (Unlocked at Milestone 4 – Boom Town)
• Oil (Unlocked at Milestone 5 – Busy Town)

To assign a specialized industry, follow these steps:

1. Paint a district over the resource-rich area.
2. Apply the desired specialization from the Districts & Areas menu.
3. Zone industrial buildings inside the district.
4. The industry will develop into extractors (within the resource zone) or processors (outside the resource zone).

If the natural resource runs out, processors will automatically import materials to maintain operations.

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5. Comparing Zoned Industries to the Industries DLC

Specialized zoned industries function as a simplified version of the Industries DLC, with these trade-offs: ✅ Higher tax income than generic industry. ✅ Requires no leveling up. ❌ Increased pollution and resource consumption. ❌ Higher traffic congestion compared to DLC industries. ❌ No unique factories or luxury goods production.

If you have the Industries DLC, you can still paint a regular district over an Industries DLC area to allow for both specialized and DLC industries in the same region.

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6. Boosting Industry Efficiency with the Campus DLC

The Campus DLC allows for specialized universities that boost industrial income:

• School of Engineering (Trade School Campus) → Increases generic industry income.
• School of Science (University Campus) → Increases specialized industry income.

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7. Importance of Zoned Industries

Even if you focus on Industries DLC, zoned industries remain vital because they:

• Provide generic goods needed for commercial buildings and emergency shelters.
• Help balance industrial supply chains.
• Offer an alternative revenue stream without requiring full DLC integration.

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Final Thoughts

Using natural resources wisely can boost your economy, reduce imports, and increase self-sufficiency in City Skylines II.

• Plan districts carefully to maximize extraction and processing.
• Balance industrial zoning with traffic management to avoid congestion.
• Use mods like Unlimited Oil & Ore if you want a permanent resource economy.

Stay tuned for more in-depth guides on Industries DLC, and feel free to share your own tips and tricks in the comments!