Analysis and identification of abandoned agricultural land using remote sensing methodology

Abstract

The management of abandoned agricultural land as well as their effective use are relevant for any country to a greater or lesser extent. An attempt to tackle the problems of ineffective utilization of abandoned agricultural land is made in Lithuania and elsewhere. While analyzing the issues related to abandoned agricultural land, a clear definition of an abandoned area is important to perceive as well as potential methods for the identification of such areas are needed to analyse. Also, in order to suggest an effective utilisation of abandoned agricultural land for sustainable land use in the country, the analysis and statistics of such land is important to undertake.The paper discusses the analysis of abandoned agricultural land in Lithuania, providing the dynamics of changes of abandoned agricultural land and the percentage distribution of such land across Lithuania. Also, the factors, which caused the abonded agricultural land appearance in Lithuania identified and described. The Remote Sensing method identified and analysed as the most effective methodology for abandoned agricultural land identification. A collection of spatial data on abandoned agricultural land was formed on the base of spectral images of the terrene obtained from an artificial Earth satellite and a map of abandoned agricultural areas was created upon applying remote cartographic methods.