**1. Introduction**

Land degradation is a relevant and important problem for Ukraine. The solution to this problem requires not only a detailed study of land degradation causes, but also involves identifying a risk of land degradation [1]. Unprecedented human activity destroys the landscape complexes globally. In this publication, the authors consider in brief the effect of such unpractical land use into land degradation and desertification processes in Ukraine on the examples of natural and human-inspired landscapes [2].

Ukraine is known for its fertile arable lands as a key natural resource. But throughout the twentieth century, Ukraine's lands were dramatically changed by anthropogenic stress. Virgin lands were ploughed and mires, swamps and wetlands drained, forests shrunk and steppe lands were severely mined. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), data as much as 76% of the total land are severely degraded due to human activities [3]. This high figure results largely from a history of intensive agriculture and mining development. As land degradation is considered one of the major environmental problems, Ukraine joined the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) [4] in 2002. The Convention's annex on Regional Implementation for Central and Eastern Europe cites Ukraine as an example of serious land degradation [5].

The Law on land protection (2003, No. 962-IV) and the Law on state control of use and protection of land (2003, No. 963-IV) approved after joining UNCCD, include provisions to restrict improper use of land, but resources for ensuring their application are strictly limited.

From year to year, we observed the great growth of lands under mines, open pits and other industrial facilities that led to numerous lands subsidence, rocks slide, decrease areas of arable lands, etc. The arable areas had also greatly suffered from development of terricones, waste banks, pit refuse heaps as well as from building of an earth dams, bridges, roads, water reservoirs, etc. The enormous contaminants emitted into the environment from different industries have tangible effect on almost all the landscapes in the country.

Soil dehumification and consequently increased emissions of carbon dioxide (agent of the greenhouse effect) are significant causes of change in meteorological conditions. This enables another destructive mechanism of land degradation—desertification. In the spatial context, desertification can be considered as the phenomenon, which is to increase the area of depleted ecosystems. Desertification is a manifestation of the effects of biodiversity and biomass loss, and evaluation of the soil fertility impacts on primary productivity of ecosystems formed in the agrarian landscapes.

Large extent or inaccessibility of degraded areas, insufficient funding for soil and vegetation cover research, as well as unsatisfactory quality of relevant archival materials, makes multispectral satellite imagery a reliable information source for the assessment of potential land deterioration.
