Summary:

The paper outlines place and role of various kinds of land melioration and reclamation in the counteraction of negative results of grounds degrading processes. The system of works serving land reform consists of: water meliorations, agrotechnical meliorations and fitomeliorations (the so called agricultural meliorations), forest and antierosion meliorations (the so called special meliorations) and land reclamation. The identification of land reform operations on the background of their systematics has been done, basing on: type of works, aim of operations, character of operations and their technology. Basing on the five groups of essential reform operations (regulation of: land cover, relief, water conditions, improvement and restoration of soils, as well as treeplanting, shrub-planting, sodding) – -the degree of complexity of separate types of works has been estimated – distinguishing four categories: one-group category (separate types of agricultural meliorations), two-group category (anti-erosion meliorations), three-group category (forest meliorations) and complex category (land reclamation – comprising all 5 groups). The place of land reclamation in the system of reform operations has been estimated, among others by statement, that it constitutes the collection of various operations serving degraded lands restitution. Then, the range of reform works in the six basic land reclamation directions has been defined. Land reclamation of the: agricultural and forest direction comprises all five groups of essential reform operations, melioration direction – three groups, fishing, recreational and infrastructural direction – two groups of procedures. Land reform as on element of sustainable development, contributes also to the spatial order creation.