The aim of the research was to identify the change of abandoned lands in Ūdrija cadastral area of Alytus district. This particular area was selected due to the diversity of land cover objects and because of a good agrarian condition. According to the data of 2010, the cadastral area of Ūdrija had 176 plots of abandoned land with the total area of 61.41 ha. After the verification 179 plots of a land were found, with the total area of 62.84 ha. It can be said that there is a minor increasing tendency of abandoned lands. During field verification as many as 41 mismatches were identified. The mismatch of the data was influenced by two main factors: a two year period between the information of the data set and field verification, as well as errors of the data set. To sum up, the information of verification has changed slightly. It happened because some mismatches were positive (identified new areas of abandoned land), while others were negative (plots of land which were in a set of data were denied during the verification).

The article discusses the prospects and advantages of using QGIS for solving spatial planning tasks. Attention is focused on the strengths of QGIS compared to other geographic information system software and the programme’s potential to eliminate the monopoly position in the market by well-known geographic information system software manufacturers. Even though QGIS is open-source software, this software product is generally not inferior to expensive geographic information system software. At the same time, the advantages of QGIS include cross-platform, rich functionality, the ability to use different geographic information databases, and the ability to connect and integrate various plug-ins into the programme. Particular attention should be paid to the ability to independently write plug-ins for solving specific highly specialised tasks in the Python programming language and their quick integration into the QGIS software environment. Examples of QGIS software for solving specific spatial planning problems are given. The possibilities of using QGIS in solving the issues of settlement planning, territory management, land management and environmental monitoring are considered. The conducted research gives grounds to recommend QGIS for wide application by developers of project documentation, as well as by executive authorities and local self-government bodies for analysing cartographic and project materials in making management decisions. This approach will help create a competitive environment among developers of urban planning and land management documentation. After all, today, many specialists cannot afford expensive commercial licenses of well-known geographic information system software developers. And any legislative requirements that oblige them to use them in practice lead to monopolisation of the market for these services by individual enterprises. At the same time, it has been proven that using the open-source geographic information system software QGIS will not lead to a deterioration in the quality of project documentation. The programme can ensure the proper quality, accuracy and interoperability of design and mapping materials created with its help and solve a wide range of tasks in spatial planning.

In the era of the high level of technological achievements of remote sensing of the Earth and the high level of development of web cartography, interactive web applications for the analysis of data of remote sensing of the Earth are gaining more and more popularity. Considering the large amount of space image data, and the complexity and heterogeneity of the analysis tools that need to be developed, the question arises of quickly and efficiently creating an interactive web application for the analysis of space images that will help scientists monitor and study changes in the Earth's surface and predict optimal ways of territory development with minimal expenditure of time and resources. In solving such a question, the specialized web platform Google Earth Engine (GEE) can help. The purpose of the article is to highlight the characteristics and advantages of the GEE platform by creating an interactive web application using the example of analysing changes in the NDVI index. Analysing GEE allows us to conclude that this web-platform provides a comprehensive solution for creating interactive cartographic web applications for the analysis of space images with a built-in IDE. It will help to significantly reduce development time and costs, allowing for quick and efficient analysis of Earth remote sensing data.

The paper’s main objective is to analyse the distribution of large farm plots and opportunities for their optimization. In the context of intensive changes in the management and use of agricultural land, it is particularly important to optimise the land holdings of large farms. Most large farms are characterised by a fragmented, uncompacted spatial distribution. 15 large farms were selected for analysis in Jonava municipality. There are 22 separate fields on average per holding, 2/3 of the farm centres (farmsteads) are located in large settlements, and 1/3 of the farm centres are located in one-farm settlements and in small villages. It was found that the average area of individually cultivated fields is 14.9 ha, and the average distance from the farmstead to the fields is 4.35 km. Land holdings are very fragmented – fragmentation coefficient K2 value range from 2.64 to 8.81 (average 3.62) for selected farms. It is proposed to draw up municipality land use planning schemes, which would project the prospective boundaries of land holdings, and to legalize by law the right of pre-emption for the farm owner to acquire the ownership of the plots of land to be sold within these boundaries in order to increase the compactness of farm land holdings. A state can facilitate sporadic land consolidation by farmers through the preparation of the proposed municipality land use planning schemes.

In Ukraine, degradation of land resources is a complex ecological problem, preventing sustainable development of land employment. Land protection from degradation requires development of measures in the process of land management at regional and local levels. Efficiency of the measures depends considerably on reliable information about quantitative and qualitative conditions of lands, due to the fact that it forces timeliness of the research. The aim of the research is to study problems of land degradation in terms of land management while developing measures of land resource protection. To reach this aim, the following tasks were set out: to analyse the drawbacks of informational support in terms of land management fulfilment at the current stage of land relations development; to describe prospective ways to implement the measures on land protection from degradation in Ukraine. Methodological basis of the research is includes the method of system analysis (performed while studying the process of land resource degradation) and cartographic method (employed while detecting the spread of degradation processes and its drawbacks in land employment). The research has determined that soil maps and plans of employment of lands do not provide reliable information about quantitative and quantitative conditions of land resources. The existing organisation of land use, first arable one, does not always correspond to soil-conserving requirements. It is proposed: to update plan-cartographic material based on space images and data of agrochemical classification of agricultural lands; to establish efficient organisational and economic mechanisms to implement ecological policy in the field of land management.

Land cover objects are reflected in a set of georeferential data and are constantly changing. These changes can be accurately examined by computer and interactive information systems. One of the main advantages of computer information systems is the fact that their maps can be constantly improved and updated. The update of georeferential data was conducted in a selected area using the ArcGIS software. After the analysis of the Lithuanian land cover data, the area meeting the following criteria was selected: a diverse landscape, the abundance of different objects (built-up areas, forests, bodies of water), an adjacent city and good access to major metropolitan areas. The article presents the updated georeferential data and tracks changes in the updated data of built-up areas, areas overgrown with trees and shrubs, dams, swimming pools, lakes, ponds and roads in the selected area within the period from 2008 to 2015. The results revealed that changes occurred in all analysed layers. It proves that land cover objects are constantly changing. The greatest change was observed in the data of built-up areas. In comparison with 2008, in 2015 even 41% of built-up areas was changed (i.e. the old boundaries were revised, new and defunct built-up areas were discovered), 125 new areas have overgrown with trees and bushes and 46 changes were observed in ponds and pools.

In order to preserve protected areas and to reduce their devastation, it is important to know the most common violations of these areas. The created map will provide the information about areas where the damage occurs most often. The Nemunas Loops Regional Park was selected for the research, the main aim of which was to identify the most common violations and the most problematic areas. The objectives of this research were to carry out a detailed analysis of violations in the Nemunas Loops Regional Park and protected areas for 2007- 2014 period of time and to create a dot distribution map of these violations. The main tasks were the following: 1) to review the aim of the Nemunas Loops Regional Park establishment, prohibited and promotional activities, 2) to carry out the classification of violations in these areas during 2007-2013 according to the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Lithuania, 3) to group the violations of 2007-2013 according to the timing and to create a dot distribution map in order to provide its application possibilities. The study led to the following conclusions: most violations were made contrary to the requirements of the protected areas (Clause 76). For instance, arbitrary constructed mobile homes, environmental pollution, violations of visiting regime in the nature reservation, water protection requirements (Clause 55), parking a car in the protected area of the water reservoir, agricultural land, storing agricultural equipment which is not used etc. The map highlights the most problematic areas where violations occur every year. These are: Punios Šilas Strict Nature Reserve and the areas around it, Pociūnai and Balbieriškis towns, Birštonas. In 2014 the form of reports was changed and it was not possible to analyse the violations in detail. It was a negative factor for this research because no accurate violations and areas could be recorded. For this reason the map was not created. 230 various violations happened in the Nemunas Loops Regional Park during the period of 2007-2014. The created map can be used as an additional measure for prevention of violations.

The article shows results of compiling recommendation land use maps for land use and land resources management of the university experimental farm “Velykosnitynske”. Large-scale GIS mapping of experimental farms allows to improve land use and decision making, prepare recommendations to solve land management issues, planning of technology processes and efficient crop growing technology. Compiled recommendation maps are aimed to assist in rational land use planning and sustainable development of the territory.

Cadastral measurement provides cadastral data of a parcel determining its boundaries. In theory, based on the legislative regulations, the boundaries of adjacent parcels should not cross the boundaries of parcels, therefore an overlap of parcels is not possible. Yet the question arises if this requirement is met. The study has been conducted to examine the assumption regarding the possible overlap of adjacent parcels when the parcels abut a road. The study object consists of 24 parcels randomly selected from Kėdainiai district municipality, Lithuania which abut the following roads of national significance: road No. 144 (Jonava – Kėdainiai – Šeduva) and road No. 195 (Kėdainiai – Krekenava – Panevėžys) as well as regional road No. 2007 (Akademija – Šlapberžė – Berželė). The cadastral measurements of the selected roads were carried out in the period of 2013–2014. During the study, the analysis of the conditions of overlapping of boundaries and the areas of the overlap have been carried out. The results of the study indicate that the boundary accuracy of parcels is inaccurate in relation to road boundaries.

The article shows that the rapid technological changes in the field of topographic, geodetic and cadastral activities that have occurred in recent decades, significantly affect the nature and content of work to be performed by future engineers in the field of geodesy and land surveying. The directions of adaptation of the content of geodetic and land surveying education to the needs of the national and world market of engineering services are considered. Global navigation satellite system (GNSS), laser 3D-scanning and operational mapping using unmanned aerial vehicles will have a decisive impact on the development of the industry in the near future. Paper maps are being replaced by multimedia devices that display dynamic map content tailored to a specific consumer. During the study, the student must get acquainted with all the most advanced technologies that will determine the future of the industry in the medium term to be ready for their practical application. A modern university lecture should be designed so that the student can hear only what he or she cannot find on the Internet. The aim of the article is to try to comprehensively generalize and analyse global trends and prospects for the development of topographic and geodetic, cadastral, registration and evaluation activities, as well as to determine on this basis the adaptation of geodetic and land management education to the needs of national and global engineering services.