The average land productivity score is about 41.8 in the Republic of Lithuania. However, in separate regions it ranges from 30.5 to 55.1. The research object is agricultural utilities in rural municipalities of the Republic of Lithuania. The analysis of land use plan fragments in the selected areas shows that land is abandoned mostly in land areas where non-productive land or hilly relief prevails. Having improved conditions of land use, about 44 % of abandoned agricultural utilities can be transferred into intensive farming.

The issue of brownfields and their analysis in Slovakia have not been given such emphasis over the last decade as in the neighbouring EU countries, such as in Austria or in the Czech Republic. The situation is completely different in Bratislava and also in the rest of Slovakia and the development of this type of area is almost unrealized. A frequent argument is problematic ownership relationships to the unused, degraded land. However, the real problem is the higher financial costs associated with brownfields regeneration. Despite this fact, brownfields can be considered as an area with relatively large development potential within the urbanized area and one form of hidden reserves of both, local and national economy. Among the indisputable benefits of using brownfields, we can include reduction of the extensive land use of agricultural land for rural area. In the long run, Bratislava is preparing a search study of neglected and unused land within the capital. It is due to be completed in the course of 2018, and will be an important basis for a new territorial plan and the development of Bratislava. In the following article, we analyse brownfield land in Bratislava. The already realized brownfield projects are also mentioned, while we are trying to point out their main advantages and disadvantages.

Land degradation is one of the most pressing problems ensuring sustainable use of land. In order to provide a clear understanding of land degradation and its risks, as well as to implement unified measures for prevention of land degradation in Latvia, the Land Management Law came into force in 2015. It individually defines the concepts of land and soil degradation, thus separating them from each other, as well as clarifying the term “degraded territory”. However, despite these solutions in the regulatory framework of the land degradation, till now criteria for identifying land degradation have not been developed and approved, therefore their determination is very subjective and not comparable between municipalities and at the state level. The aim of the article is to develop and approbate degradation criteria for assessing land degradation in particular territory. In the article, based on the author's previous studies on the classification of land degradation, characterised one type of land degradation – the abandoned agricultural and forestry activity territory, as well as proposed subdivision of criteria classification into three levels – low, medium and high. As result of the study, it was concluded that the classification of degraded territories into three degradation levels is justified for the purpose of more objective identification and evaluation of land degradation.

The possibilities of using the geospatial analysis methods for visualizing land monitoring data and modelling the spatial distribution of the main agrochemical soil indicators are discussed in the article. The research was conducted within the limits of land use of RUP “Uchkhoz BGSHA” (Republic of Belarus, Mogilev region, Goretsky district). The total area of the surveyed territory was 3187.0 hectares. The geospatial analysis of the spatial distribution of humus, mobile phosphorus, mobile potassium and pHKCl was carried out using the Geostatistical Analyst module of the ArcGIS software. Semivariograms were used as the main tool for studying the structure of the spatial distribution of agrochemical indicators. The exponential function was identified as the best variogram model, the type of the circle was standard, the type and the number of sectors was 4 with a displacement of 450, and the lag was 200 metres. The interpolation accuracy was determined from the mean error (ME), mean square error (RMSE) and standard error (RMSS). The universal kriging method was used to perform the forecast and visualize the spatial distribution of agrochemical indicators. The multivariate analysis was performed using the functionality of the Raster Calculator tool, Principal Component analysis and Maximum Likelihood Classification. The search and determination of areas of sites with the most optimal agrochemical indicators were carried out by the multifactor analysis in the GIS environment. Calculation of the area of each circuit within the limits of working parcels was carried out using the utility "Zone Statistics".

The article presents the analysis of the current situation of the forest area in Alytus and Vilnius Counties. Comparative, analytical as well as statistical and logical analysis methods were used for the investigation. The aim of the investigation is to carry out the analysis of the Alytus and Vilnius Counties forest area during the period between the years 2006 and 2018. The object of the investigation – Alytus and Vilnius Counties forest area. Tasks of the investigation: 1. To describe the status quo of forest in Alytus and Vilnius Counties. 2. To analyze and compare the forest area change in Alytus and Vilnius counties during the period between the years 2006 and 2018. The study found that forests prevailing in Alytus and Vilnius Counties are 50–59 years old. It was determined that pine trees prevail in Alytus County (71.05 percent) and in Vilnius County (16.38 percent) as well. The type of ownership prevailing in both Alytus and Vilnius counties is the forests of state significance managed by forest enterprises, national parks and state reserves. In Alytus County, during the period between the years 2006 and 2018, the forest area decreased by 4123.16 ha or 1.55 percent, in Vilnius County increased by 9593.16 ha or 2,35 percent.

The article discusses the current state of forest land, the history of formation of large tracts of forest in the Samara region and analyses some of the results of implementation of target programs to improve the forest cover in the region under the Kyoto Protocol. This program was designed for the period from 2006 to 2015, but in 2009 was discontinued. However, large segment of assets was allocated and a number of works was carried out. Currently the objectives of the programme to increase the forest cover in the territory of Samara region through the creation of tracts of forest are not achieved. Tree and shrub plantations play an important role in reducing the activity of processes of erosion, prevent degradation and desertification. Therefore, the problem of increasing forest cover, especially in the steppe zone of the region, to the level of the preindustrial era remains relevant and requires science-based measures for their solution.

Renovation is seen in the context of an urbanist as a form of large-scale dispersed urban space reorganization. To date, in countries with developed economies, the share of renovation works has increased in the structure of construction from 35% to 60%. In this article, the content of the main stages of renovation is detailed: the definition of the scope, planning, financing and implementation. The article reflects the experience and tasks of the Moscow Government on the renovation of the quarters of the existing buildings. Since the city renovation projects are aimed at achieving the optimal combination of social, residential and commercial functions, the complex reconstruction of the city has noneconomic and economic effects. Varying the key parameters influences the calculation of the project economy. The most economical indicators of the project depend on the coefficients of renovation and relocation, the cost of construction and the price of sales. To increase the additions in Moscow budget and other economic effects from the project implementation, it is necessary to increase the renovation ratio and the selling price and/or reduce the construction cost and resettlement ratio.

Spatial sustainable development planning and providing is a very responsible process. During the process, many spatial development planning documents for specific different time periods on different planning levels are being developed. However, there are only slight differences between the spatial development planning in many European countries where few of them can notice more than the others. Latvia and England, two European Union countries, which had some significant changes in legislation regarding spatial development planning in 2011, were selected for the comparison. The research aims to evaluate similar and different aspects of spatial development planning in Latvia and England. To achieve the aim, the information on spatial development planning tendencies in both countries, legislation, development order of planning documents and other aspects. The result is a comparison of different and similar aspects of spatial development planning in Latvia and England.

The key features of the blockchain databases, such as decentralization, distribution, security, and record of the history of all transactions, create significant prospects for their application in the field of cadastre and real estate registration activities, including creation of the global real estate cadastre infrastructure, which will be able to go beyond national legal systems and jurisdictions. The conceptual approach to registration of land plots as spatial objects using blockchain technology is proposed. The land plot should be considered as a combination of smart contracts between landowners, surveyors, appraisers, notaries and other persons. The subject of such contracts will be the description and establishment of spatial (plot boundaries, territorial zones, etc.) and other (property rights and encumbrances, monetary valuation, soil bonitet, etc.) characteristics of land plots. The classification of such smart contracts reliability is also presented.

The international Cittaslow movement brings together towns that promote the slow life philosophy. The concept has been developed in response to the increasing pace of life and the adverse effects of globalization. According to the members of Cittaslow, the organization contributes to the sustainable development of their regions and to improvement of the quality of life. In view of the benefits of Cittaslow membership confirmed by research studies, the question arises whether the concept of Cittaslow could also be introduced in rural areas. This paper seeks to answer the above question. The study involved an analysis of the Cittaslow membership criteria (Cittaslow goals) and a survey conducted among the inhabitants of the Warmian village of Żabi Róg. The results of the study were used to test the research hypothesis and to assess the quality of life in the analyzed area.