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The Dadia forest complex, in the Evros prefecture, in north eastern Greece was designated as a nature reserve in 1980 in order to protect the black vulture (Aegypius monachus) and other raptors. In this paper, the impacts of the protection on the forest growth were assessed using geographic information system (GIS) technologies. The major requirement for almost all research needed for sustainable forest management is extensive and intensive monitoring. GIS is a convenient tool for integrating remotely sensed data and various other kinds geo-referenced data. Detailed spatial and temporal change patterns of the land uses in the area were quantified by interpreting aerial photographs of the years 1945 and 1973 and a satellite image of 2001. The results showed that the rate of forest growth is significantly larger during the second period (1973-2001) than during the earlier one (1945-1973). This is mostly due to the introduction, in 1980, of a protection regime, including two high-protection core areas, and a buffer zone. From 1945 to 2001 the openings which are important as hunting biotopes for raptors were significantly decreased. Apart from the protection of the area that was played an important role in the forest changes the effects of various landscape parameters (elevation, slope, distance from the roads and urban areas, aspect, soil depth, geology, erosion and forest density) on these changes were examined.
