The degradation of permanent semi-natural vegetation and the resulting acceleration of soil degradation and erosion processes constitute major elements of land degradation in the Mediterranean basin. These elements are triggered by human activities rather than climatic conditions. The Greek island of Crete represents a characteristic case of land degradation resulting from hundreds of years of intensive grazing and fires. Since Greece joined the European Communities in 1981, grazing in mountainous regions has greatly increased due to subsidies that became available through the Common Agricultural Policy. Keywords: remote sensing, monitoring, land degradation, desertification, grazing, Greece, Crete, Mediterranean ecosystems.