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 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.

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.

This article reviews the initiatives for setting up rational use and protection of agricultural lands in order to ensure accelerated growth of the agricultural sector of the Russian Federation, enhancing its sustainability, efficiency, competitiveness, and environmental safety. It is hereby proposed to complete the differentiation of public lands into federal property, property of the subjects of the Russian Federation, property of municipal settlements; as well as to conduct topographic survey of lands in the Russian Federation (to establish and locally document the boundaries of territories of the subjects of the Russian Federation; municipal settlements; communities; special-purpose lands; areas with special land use conditions; and to systematically (once every 5 years) perform agricultural land inventory in order to identify unused, irrationally used or non-purposely used lands, as well as land use in violation of the relevant permitted use of land plots; to relaunch land survey works relating with the performance of pedologic, geobotanical and other studies and research.