Dispersed settlement is a specific type of countryside landscape structure not only in Slovakia. The biggest part of this type of settlement are “kopanice“ (type and most used local name of dispersed settlement in Slovakia), that were created by agricultural colonization of secondary character in 16th – 19th century. Agriculture was the main source of sustenance and it was soon joined by other crafts such as weaving, pottery and lace-making. After huge increase of population couldn’t regions of dispersed settlement avoid an emigration, which was mostly to USA, France and Serbia. What affected “kopanice“ the most, was the socialism period and interventions of communist government. Placement of big, mostly engineering factories to cities such as Myjava, Detva, Stará Turá or Čadca that was connected with construction of new housing estates resulted in migration of population from “kopanice“ to cities and it was the beginning of their gradual depopulation. Also collectivization of agriculture and mending of lands, that mostly took place around Myjava, had contributed to this. It forced the population to redirect from agriculture to industry and “kopanice“ lost their original agricultural function, that was replaced by residential function. Vivacity has been coming back to partly abandoned “kopanice“ in last thirty years, thanks to cottagers that use dwellings for second housing purposes. In some areas or villages (such as Polianka, Rudník near Myjava) reaches the amount of cottages half of whole number of houses. Sustainable development of “kopanice“ can only by ensured by penetration of all their previous functions, together with the use of local sources, handicraft and cultural traditions, that would allow to use their not only economic and social, but also historical, cultural, aesthetic and environmental potential.