LAND CONSOLIDATION AS A LAND MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR PRESERVING NATURAL LANDSCAPES
Abstract
In Ukraine, a significant environmental challenge is the considerable loss of biological and landscape diversity, driven by intense anthropogenic pressure and military activities. To promote the conservation of habitats and landscapes within the framework of sustainable development, several regulatory and legal measures have been enacted aimed at expanding areas of land covered by natural vegetation. Effective land management plays a crucial role in this context, as it facilitates the implementation of strategies designed to preserve natural landscapes, protect land from degradation, and mitigate other adverse phenomena. One effective tool for implementing such strategies is land consolidation, which involves restructuring land ownership and plots to optimize land use and support the ecological sustainability of various areas. This article explores the connection between land consolidation and the design of ecological network territories on privately owned agricultural land exhibiting signs of degradation or low productivity. Using the Rozvadiv territorial community in Lviv region as a case study, two scenarios for designing ecological (Emerald) network territories have been proposed, using majority-based land consolidation and mandatory land consolidation. This dual approach allows for both voluntary and mandatory land exchanges. However, these consolidation forms necessitate reliable government institutions and an appropriate legal framework to ensure the protection of the rights of landowners and users involved in the land redistribution process. A key requirement for mandatory land consolidation is the availability of reserve land (land bank). Moreover, land consolidation must involve consultations with all stakeholders. The authors emphasize that incorporating natural land conservation and restoration practices into the land consolidation process is vital for achieving sustainable land management and ensuring the long-term preservation of ecosystems.
References
17 Goals to Change Our World. Indicators for Ukraine. URL: https://sdg.ukrstat.gov.ua/uk/ (Accessed January 12, 2025).
Bennett G., Mulongoy K. Review of Experience with Ecological Networks, Corridors and Buffer Zones / Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Montreal, Technical Series No 23, 2006. 100 p.
Emerald Network General Viewer. URL: https://emerald.eea.europa.eu/ (Accessed January 19, 2025).
FAO. Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security: first revision. Rome, 2022. 52 p.
GEF Guidance Documents to Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services in IW Projects. 2017. 166 р.
GISFile Available. URL: https://gisfile.com/map/ (Accessed January 19, 2025).
Google Earth. URL: https://earth.google.com/web/ (Accessed January 19, 2025).
Hrodzynskyi M. D. Cognition of landscape: place and space: monograph: in two volumes. Kyiv: Publishing and Printing Center “Kyiv University”. 2005. Vol 2. 503 p.
Husarova A. We are losing them! The soils of Ukraine are becoming poorer and degrading. 2024. URL: https://superagronom.com/articles/727-mi-yih-vtrachayemo-grunti-ukrayini-bidniyut-i-degraduyut (Accessed January 19, 2025).
Land Consolidation and Land Readjustment for Sustainable Development – the Issues to be Addressed / M. Louwsma et al. Surveying the world of tomorrow: from digitalisation to augmented reality: proceedings of FIG working week 2017, 29 May – 2 June 2017. Helsinki, Finland, 2017. 1 р.
Legal guide on land consolidation: Based on regulatory practices in Europe. FAO Legal Guide, No. 3 / T. Veršinska et al. Rome, 2020. 192 p.
Li S., Song W. Research Progress in Land Consolidation and Rural Revitalization: Current Status, Characteristics, Regional Differences, and Evolution Laws. Land. 2023. Vol. 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010210.
Louwsma M., de Vries W., Hartvigsen M. Land Consolidation – the Fundamentals to Guide Practice. FIG report. Denmark, 2022. 78 p.
Malashevskyi M., Malashevska O. Land consolidation considering natural afforestation. Geomatics and Environmental Engineering. 2022. Vol. 16 (2). P. 5–19. https://doi.org/10.7494/geom.2022.16.2.5.
Nester A. A., Romanishyna O. B. Modern ecological problems of Ukraine and the world. Actual Problems of Modern Science: International Conference "Ukrainian-Polish Scientific Dialogues", 11–15 June 2024. Khmelnytskyi; Bydgoszcz, 2024. P. 631–640.
On approval of the Concept of Combating Land Degradation and Desertification: resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 22 October 2014 No. 1024-r. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1024-2014-%D1%80#Text (Accessed January 19, 2025).
On approval of the Strategy for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas in Ukraine for the period up to 2030 and approval of the Operational Plan of measures for its implementation in 2025–2027: resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 15 November 2024 No. 1163-r. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1163-2024-%D1%80#Text (Accessed January 19, 2025).
On land management: Law of Ukraine dated 22 May 2003 No. 858-IV. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/858-15#Text (Accessed January 04, 2025).
On the alienation of land plots, other objects of immovable property located on them, which are in private ownership, for public needs or on grounds of public necessity: Law of Ukraine dated 17 November 2009 No. 1559-VI. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1559-17#Text (Accessed January 08, 2025).
On the Ecological Network: Law of Ukraine dated 24 June 2004 No. 1864-IV. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/1864-15/conv (Accessed January 04, 2025).
On the Fundamentals (Strategy) of State Environmental Policy of Ukraine for the period up to 2030: Law of Ukraine dated 28 February 2019 No. 2697-VIII. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2697-19#Text (Accessed January 19, 2025).
Popov A. S. Creating a paradigm for the consolidation of agricultural lands in Ukraine. Economic Bulletin of the National Mining University. 2016. No 2 (54). P. 61–67.
Popov A. S. Land readjustment – the basic instrument of providing of the agricultural land consolidation. Agrosvit. 2016. No 10. P. 12–16.
Ružičková J., Miklošovičová A., Moravčíková Z. Ecological networks in Slovakia, particularities on the local level in land consolidation projects. Journal of International Scientific Publication: Ecology & Safety. 2010. Vol. 4(2). P. 387−414.
Rybicki R. Environmental Effects of Reducing Land Fragmentation in Land Consolidation at West Roztocze at the Slope Scale. Journal of Ecological Engineering. 2021. 22 (1). Р. 241–249.
Scientific and methodological recommendations on the conservation of degraded, low-productivity, and technogenically polluted lands to prevent their exhaustion / edited by Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor, Academician of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine V. F. Kaminsky. Vinnytsia: TVORY, 2022. 144 p.
Shevchenko O., Pron O., Chebotariova I. The impact of full-scale armed hostilities on the resilience of territories to climate change. Economics and Society. 2024. No. 67. https://doi.org/10.32782/2524-0072/2024-67-106.
Strategic directions of land policy in Ukraine until 2030. / А. Tretiak, V. Tretiak, T. Priadka, N. Kapinos, N. Tretiak. Economics and State. 2021. Vol. 8. P. 28–36.
Tasks and indicators for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Ukraine for the period up to 2030. 2024. 11 p.
Territorial system of ecological stability as a part of land consolidations (cadastral territory of Galanta – Hody, Slovak Republic) / E. Kočická, A. Diviaková, D. Kočický, E. Belaňová. Ekológia (Bratislava). Slovak Academy of Sciences. 2018. 37 (2). Р. 164–182. https://doi.org/10.2478/eko-2018-0015.
Territorial-spatial planning of land use: a study guide. General editor: Prof. A. M. Tretyak. Bila Tserkva: Bilotserkivdruk, 2022. 168 p.
The draft law on consolidating the land market — fifteen main provisions of the document. URL: https://agropolit.com/spetsproekty/1033-zakonoproekt-pro-konsolidatsiyu-rinku-zemli--pyatnadtsyat-osnovnih-polojen-dokumentu (Accessed January 08, 2025).
Thomas J. Land Administration and Consolidation of Lands in Rural Areas of Germany. Kyiv; Nizhyn: Publisher M. M. Lysenko, 2021. 428 p.
Zhang Z., Zhao W. Effects of land consolidation on ecological environment. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (Transactions of the CSAE). 2007. Vol. 23 (8). Р. 281–285.
Zhovtonoh O., Polishchuk V., Chorna K. Land consolidation and creation of water user organizations for sustainable use and restoration of irrigation. Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development. 2020. No 7. Р. 92–102.
