The issues of environmental protection, prevention of degradation and reclamation of damaged land are currently very significant and relevant. As damaged land has been observed the land where low productivity and low economic potential have arisen and natural productivity of ecosystems is changed due to human-caused activities. The nature and extent of the violation depends on the type, depth and duration of anthropogenic impact, on adopted system of work organization and the conditions of the environment. Black soil dominates in the soil cover in Samara region; therefore there has been developed agricultural production. However there are located large oilfields and gas fields, which are under active exploitation and reduction of vegetation, dumping technological sites, laying trenches for pipelines, etc. have been noticed, which leads to formation of technogenic soils, damaged land cover, loss of soil fertility and land use type change. There special restoration measure − reclamation should be putted into practice on the territory of all categories of land, but especially on agricultural land. The aim of the article is to study the situation with damaged agricultural land in Samara region of Russia and to develop scientifically based proposals for regeneration of its fertility after reclamation measures. The problems of pollution of agricultural land in the region have been investigated, main sources and types of pollution have been analysed, as well as legal, methodological and environmental protection documents on land reclamation have been studied. The peculiarities of reclamation of land on federal, municipal and property level have been considered. The article presents measures for reclamation of the land on the example of natural monopolies in the territory of the Samara region.

The article presents the analysis of the change of land users in the Republic of Lithuania during the period between 1919 and 1940. The main factor affecting the relationship of land and its use was the political changes in the country, whereas economic and social aspects had less influence. During the period between 1919 and 1939 the land reform of independent Lithuania not only strengthened the country's agriculture, but also laid the foundations for the entire nation-state, it was one of the most significant achievements of independence, a real agrarian revolution, which intensified the land use. The main goal of the land reform was to alienate and distribute the state land and the land of large estates to peasants and to complete distribution of village land into individual farmsteads. Landlords were left inalienable 80 hectares (later 150 ha) of land area. The land from the State Land Fund was distributed to volunteers and new settlers (the landless) peasants up to 8-10 ha, to estate workers and rural craftsmen – up to 1.5-2 ha, as well as to poor peasants, state enterprises, farms and forestries, etc.

The aim of the research is to assess the system peculiarities in terms of green areas and plantations in Kaunas. Together with the analysis of Kaunas recreational system, the problems of the system of green areas functioning in the city emerged, because urbanization in the city has split up the system of green plantations into small areas and violated their functions. The available General Plans of the city have already attempted to improve the current situation. However, the real endeavours or actions taken, which could shape or structure the unified system of the territorial greenery are very insignificant. The location of territorial green plantations in Kaunas is not equivalent, the majority of them coincide with the green plantations of the local residential areas, but in the newly developed neighbourhoods could be vividly witnessed the shortage of green areas. To optimize the system of green plantations of the city it is suggested, when designing new residential areas to be developed, to plan areas for greenery, introduce green connections into the system of green plantations, to create migration corridors and structure the integral system of green areas.

The analysis of the current situation of Aukštadvaris Regional Park and ecological farming (RP), which is in southeastern Lithuania, is presented in the article. The Paluknys subdistrict was chosen for the comparison of the use of ecological farming in the regional park. Ecological farming is relevant to protected areas. The aim of the study was to perform the analysis of farms applying organic farming measures as well as the analysis of the change of their areas in Aukštadvaris regional park (RP). Comparative, analytical as well as statistical and logical analysis methods were used for the investigation. The object of the investigation - the farms of Aukštadvaris Regional Park. The study was carried out to determine how many farms, forming the territory of the regional parks, are managed according to the principles of organic farming. The change of the abovementioned farming area for 2011-2013 is analysed as well. Paluknys subdistrict, not incorporated into the territory of regional parks, was chosen for the comparative analysis. The analysis of the 2011-2013 period showed that the number of organic farms increased by 1.5 times in Aukštadvaris RP over the period of 2011-2013, and the area has increased by 187.36 ha. The percentage calculations revealed that in 2013 the area of farms applying organic farming measures in Aukštadvaris RP made up 18.89 per cent of the total area declared, the number of farms - 6.61 per cent.

In order to promote the preservation of agricultural land and the sustainable use of its areas for the needs of agricultural production, on 1 July 2015, the Latvian Land Fund established by the state started operating in Latvia. The Land Fund was established to promote the preservation and use of agricultural land for agricultural purposes in Latvia in the amount of not less than 2 million hectares, involving approximately 0.4 million hectares of agricultural land not previously actively used in active agricultural production. The operation of the Land Fund is regulated by the Law on Privatization of Land in Rural Areas and the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers on transactions with agricultural land. Development Finance Institution ALTUM has been approved as the land fund manager. The Latvian land fund consists of accumulated agricultural land, which is further leased, sold or changed. The main activities of the Land Fund are the purchase of agricultural land, the lease of agricultural land and the sale or exchange of land. The Land Fund buys property from existing owners who are no longer able or for any other reason unable or unwilling to continue to use agricultural land for agricultural activities themselves. The Land Fund is looking for a buyer or manager for the purchased property. For unleased and unsold properties, the fund organizes management — mowing, and bush removal with the aim of keeping agricultural land in good condition, cleaning up agricultural land and returning it to agricultural circulation. The aim of the study is to analyse the Latvian Land Fund's transactions with agricultural land since the establishment of the Land Fund.

Wetlands are the most important natural resources; they are the sources of biological, cultural, and economic diversity. The article presents an analysis of the current situation of the wetland area in Klaipeda County. Analytical, comparative, statistical, and logical analysis methods were used for the investigation. The aim of the investigation is to carry out the analysis of Klaipeda County’s wetland area during the period between the years 2002 and 2022. In 2022, wetlands occupied 1.21 percent of Klaipeda’s County, i.e. 6,337.53 ha. In 2002, the area of wetlands in Klaipeda County was 1.68 percent and occupied 8,748.33 ha. So, in Klaipeda County during the period between the years 2002 and 2022 wetland area decreased by 2,410.80 ha or 27.56 percent. After the analysis of the change in wetland areas in the districts of Klaipeda County, it can be seen that in all municipalities, wetland areas decreased in the period of 2002–2022. Many wetlands in Klaipeda County have been exploited and managed for various purposes. Large wetland areas have been drained and reclaimed mainly for agriculture and the establishment of human settlements. Monitoring and inventory of wetlands are important for of conserving and managing wetland resources. An important element of all peatland restoration projects is a programme of monitoring to check results and progress. The aim of the investigation is to carry out the analysis of the Klaipeda County wetland area during the period between the years 2002 and 2022.

Recently, the opinion has been expressed that the phasing of the processes of preparation of territorial planning documents, depending on the institution that administers it, hinders the processes of preparation of territorial planning documents by established procedural actions. The aim of the article is to evaluate the impact of the efficiency of the administration of territorial planning processes on the development of territories. The object of the research is the complex and special territorial planning documents prepared in the territory of Pagėgiai municipality. Pagėgiai municipality was chosen because the preparation of planning documents in the municipality has slowed down recently, therefore it is important to assess the efficiency of administration of the prepared territorial planning document processes, possible impact on further territorial development, and provide recommendations to ensure more efficient and faster territorial development. During the research, it was established that during the period between the years 2010–2020 only 1 state-level territorial planning document was registered in the territory of Pagėgiai municipality (i.e. 0.69% of those registered in the Republic of Lithuania and 14.29% in Tauragė County). 7 (i.e. 0.52% of those registered in the Republic of Lithuania and 18.42% of those registered in Tauragė County) were registered in the municipality at the municipal level. Territorial planning documents were registered at the local level (i.e. 0.22% of those registered in the Republic of Lithuania and 5.4% in Tauragė County). The analysis of the processes of the prepared planning documents and the interviews of experts revealed that the planning procedures performed by the administering authorities are inefficient: not all the administering authorities consistently carry out the assigned procedures, delay or evaluating the planned decisions within the legal deadline. According to experts, the reason for the inefficient performance of procedures is the lack of human resources in the administering institutions or their inadequate competence. As a result, the improperly performed procedures of territorial planning documents have a negative impact on the planned territory, slow down its development, or the most suitable possible development direction of the planned territory has not been assessed. After performing a multi-criteria analysis of the prepared territorial planning documents, it was established that in the period under review, the most effective document of complex territorial planning was prepared in the territory of Pagėgiai municipality — “Adjustment of the detailed plan of the prepared territory in Vilniaus st. 16 A, Pagėgiai”. The rating indicator was 0.0806. The document of complex territorial planning “Adjustment of Pagėgiai city comprehensive plan” stood out with the lowest efficiency, the rating indicator was — 0.0676.