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.

The issue of the study of the problem of determining the geoid and quasi-geoid models is considered. Development of methods for constructing an exact geoid model using different dimensions. Analysis of the calculation of normal heights using satellite measurements, construction of geoid and quasi-geoid models by different methods is performed. Based on the results of the analytical review of existing methods for determining the geoid, it was proposed to use various data (geodetic heights, mixed gravity anomalies, anomalous potential) to construct this model, which allows building a model of a geoid with millimetre accuracy. The possibility of using the collocation method is considered. The task is to develop a methodology for constructing a geoid model using a network of low density gravity points and using pure and mixed gravity anomalies, which allows us to solve the problem of finding potential by solving the Laplace equation or using wavelets.

The research studies the issue of ecological stability of rural territories that is the most important component of the national environmental policy of Ukraine. A special attention is paid to degradation of arable lands as the main ecological problem of land management. On the example of Lviv region, the authors calculated the index of ecological nonconformity of current use of arable lands, proving a considerable excess of permissible ploughing of lands in the region. The carried analysis confirms that no measures were performed concerning land protection, including conservation that in the recent years. In this context it is necessary to improve land resources management on the basis of sustainable development. Integration is considered to be the main principle of land resources management. The research proves that solution of ecological problems of land management requires achievement of a set of coordinated targets concerning development of rural territories, land resources management and national environmental policy based on the principles of suitable development. The targets include: planning of land use outside settled areas on the landscape and ecological basis; land inventory; formation of the land bank of agricultural lands; development and support of alternative kinds of activity on rural area; development of an efficient mechanism to encourage performance of land protection measures; improvement of environmental responsibility of population and development of ecological education. The methodological basis of the research is the concept of sustainable development, which expects support for a continuous character of development in order to meet the current needs along with ensuring the needs of future generations. The fulfilment of the task requires examination of scientific works on the issue of sustainable management of land resources and an ecological component of rural territory development.

In the study, creation of 3D surface relief model in Jelgava, for southern part of the Castle Island is depicted. Information about remote sensing, its historical development, as well as directions of remote sensing, development of photogrammetry and laser scanning is summarized and analysed. Principles of work and methods of photogrammetry and laser scanning are viewed. Information about creation of surface relief model from planning of unmanned aircraft, data capture and alignment to the end product – surface relief model are described. Application of evaluation of data obtained. The purpose of the study – to create 3D surface relief model in Jelgava, for the southern part of the Castle Island. Tasks of the study – to consider development and improvement of photogrammetry and its processes, as well as development of laser scanning and principles of its work; to research, analyse and describe technological processes of laser scanning; to create 3D surface relief model in Jelgava, for the southern part of the Castle Island; to perform comparison of surface models obtained and describe application of laser scanning. Preparation of surface relief model is time-consuming process, which includes flight planning and preparation of end-product. End-products obtained in data processing of laser scanning have very broad usage in many sectors related to geodesy and construction.

The main factors that influence the rational land use, conservation and protection of land resources are global ecological and food security, world's population growth, climate change, land acquisition by large world agricultural corporations etc. In this process a priority of attention is protection of the important agricultural lands (in Ukraine, these lands are called especially valuable lands - EVL). Besides, lands with highly productive soils, areas with undisturbed ecosystems, territories with objects of cultural heritage, natural therapeutic resources are a part of EVL. This paper focuses on new approaches to the legal protection of EVL in Ukraine. The special value of these lands in Ukraine is legalized and is means of their legal protection (Art. 150 of the Land Code of Ukraine). The main idea of this paper – studying of problems of legal protection of EVL and development of new approaches to their protection. These approaches will be based on introduction of economic regulators at withdrawal of EVL or change their intended use for needs that don't correspond to nature protection value. The reseach is based on case study method and statistical method. Approaches for cartographic modeling for assessment and mapping of EVL are offered. Results of this reseach are an obtaining of practical experience in the field of protection of EVL in Ukraine, development of suggestions for improving of an organizational and legal mechanism the use of EVL through their registration, monitoring, evaluation, development of their State Register. These measures can increase competitiveness of EVL, prevent Land-Grabbing and provide sustainable development of the rural territory.

The purpose of this scientific research is to reveal the theoretical foundations of modern land management and determine its tasks. The patterns of land management, its tasks and principles are formulated in the conditions of modern agrarian reform. The system of interconnected forecasting and design of land management development is proposed. The methodological and theoretical basis of research is a dialectical method and a systematic approach to the cognition of economic phenomena and processes. According to this method, all objects are viewed not in isolation, but in a reciprocal relationship and in the process of constant development. In the course of the research, monographic, abstract-logical methods, a system approach, comparative analysis, and expert assessments were used. The scientific research is based on the development of domestic scientists, the experience of land management in the Republic of Belarus, land-cadastral data, normative and reference literature. As a result of the research, it was established that in the conditions of the agrarian reform carried out in the Republic of Belarus land management is an effective mechanism for implementing state policy in the field of land management, regulation of land relations, organization of use and protection of land. Modern land management, based on the state strategy of land reforms, should have a concept of its development based on the laws, which were set in the work, as well as successful solve these problems. For the successful solving of the problems, it is important to revive the previously existing system of forecast and project of land management development in an improved form.

The analysis results of common terms in land management and their interpretations in normative-legal acts of Ukraine are presented. It have been established collisions and significant differences in the wording of even such common terms as a land parcel, a boundary of land parcel, a size of land parcel, etc. The purpose of the study is to identify collisions and contradictions of some key terms used in land surveying and geodetic works, as well as development of concrete proposals for improving and perfection the relevant terms. For this purpose, the following tasks were set and solved: analysis of regulatory legal acts of Ukraine concerning the conceptual apparatus of land management, systematization and generalization of substantiation results of the relevant terms correction need, development of proposals taking into account works content on land management and geodetic works for information provision of the State Land Cadastre. In the course of the study, the comparative method of analysis and the systematization of inconsistencies in the current normative legal acts of Ukraine regarding the terms and their interpretation are used. During the proposals development, known approaches "from general to partial" and vice versa were used. The established disadvantages do not allow unambiguously interpreting and performing such important work as geodetic setting or restoration of the land parcels boundaries, resolution of land disputes between adjacent users of land parcels. Completed summaries of content and wording of the relevant terms justify a need for correction of the terms and additions to their definitions. It was set the features of each term. As a result of integrated approach to solution of the existing problem and systematization of established differences, the general wording and detailed specification of the analyzed terms interpretations are proposed. Knowledge of technological stages for geodetic and land management works provided an opportunity to improve the geodetic information support of the State Land Cadastre. The proposals for correction of the studied terms eliminate existing contradictions, provide an unambiguous interpretation of land management terminology, which leads to the exact execution of geodetic and land management works, and, accordingly, obtaining reliable information for the State Land Cadastre.

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.