The research of the landscape structure and its changes was carried out in a part of the Horná Orava region. Landscape structure was studied and compared in 2 periods (1958 and 2001). Two types of changes were identified: anthropogenic and succession. Succession processes were spontaneous, anthropogenic-conditioned or successive, which were linked with land use changes, reduction of traditional management of non-forest vegetation (mowing, grazing) and consequent climax succession. Recultivation of meadows was the most extensive anthropogenic process (88%) linked with disposal of hedges, bank vegetation, floodplain woods, changes of mosaic of arable fields and semi-natural meadows to intensively utilized meadows. Evaluation of ecological significance of land use changes pointed out, that the target area became most homogenous landscape during the last fifty years. Statistics and the synthesis of historical and present land use maps refer to a reduction of the number of land use elements, increase of their size, decrease of mosaics due to interface of plots and succession of non-forest habitats as well as the decreasing trend of porosity.