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The changes in land use, landscape structure and heterogeneity in Bela krajina were compared over a time interval of 220 years and linked to the socioeconomic factors. A significant increase of forested areas in the past 220 years is evident, which has led to forestation of open pastures. Until 1913, the landscape was agricultural. After human emigration at the beginning of the 20 th century and World War I, the land was partly abandoned. During and after the World War II local inhabitants migrated from the region. The land structure changed and became of a transitional type. The third wave of emigration started in the 1960s. By around 1980, the study area had become completely forested. After 1981, the number of inhabitants again increased in settlements near traffic routes but people were employed in other economic activities. This trend had no significant impact on the landscape. The study shows that the present landscape structure is substantially different from those in past and reflects the current social and economic features.

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