In the local unit of the Slovenian forest service Cerkno we analized forest structure and spatial distribution of land use. We found out that in the year 2006 forest density on this area had been 72,4 %. In both forest districts (FD) prevail smaller nonforest patches in fragmented forest matrix. We estimated forest density changes by comparing a military map of the Austrian Emperor Joseph II (18th century), forest registers (19th and 20th century) andforest management plans. Forest area has incresed in the past 250 years from 20,3 % to 66,8 % in FD Cerkno. The biggest change occured in the period 1940-2006, when a 33 % forest density increase was estimated. There are two Natura 2000 areas in FD Cerkno. These areas had many changes of the landscape structure through history. The area of forest grew also in the period 1998-2006 on the area Cerkno-Zakriž (1,8 %) and the Otalež-Lazec (8,1 %). Thismeans that the area Cerkno-Zakriž is stable and that area Otalež-Lazec will probably change in the future.
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