Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) was established in July 1973, named in honour of the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus, who hailed from the town of Abdera in Thrace. The University is currently operating seven faculties and eighteen departments in four cities of Thrace. The university contributes to the graduate and post-graduate education in Greece, relying on the quality of teaching and the high research level and has secured a place among the best Greek Universities. DUTH is an autonomous public entity, supervised by the Greek State through the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs.
DUTH participates through the Department of Forestry and Management of the Environment and Natural Resources, which was founded in 1999 and it is located in the town of Orestiada. The main objectives of the Department include the promotion of the sciences of forestry and the environment with particular emphasis in fostering and advancing scientific knowledge in the area Natural Resource Management, as well as in training of highly qualified personnel capable of investigation, research, and applied use of advanced technologies for the development, improvement, protection and management of forests and forest lands and the natural environment.