The ~1540 nm $^4$ $I_{13}$ 2/ longrightarro $w^4$ $I_{15}$ 2/ emissions of E $r^{3+}$ in Er-implanted GaN annealed at temperatures in the 400 to 100$0^{circ}C$ range were investigated to gain a better understanding of the formation and dissociation processes of the various E $r^{3+}$ sites and the recovery of damage caused by the implantation with increasing annealing temperature ( $T_{A}$).The monotonic increase in the intensity of the broad defect photoluminescence(PL) bands with incresing $T_{A}$ proves that these are stable radiative recombination centers introduced by the implantation and annealing process. Theser centers cannot be attributed to implantation-induced damage that is removed by post-implantation annealing. Selective wavelength pumpling of PL spectra at 6K reveals the existence of at least nine different E $r^{3+}$ sites in this Er-implanted semiconductor. Most pf these E $r^{3+}$ PL centers are attributed to complexed of Er atoms with defects and impurities which are thermally activated at different $T_{A}$. Only one of the nine observed E $r^{3+}$ PL centers can be pumped by direct 4f absorption and this indicates that it is highest concentration E $r^{3+}$ center and it represents most of the optically active E $r^{3+}$ in the implanted sample. The fact that this E $r^{3+}$ center cannot be strongly pumped by above-gap light or broad band below-gap absorption indicates that it is an isolated center, i.e not complexed with defects or impurities, The 4f-pumped P: spectrum appears at annealing temperatures as low as 40$0^{circ}C$, and although its intensity increase monotonically with increasing $T_{A}$ the wavelengths and linewidths of its characteristic peaks asre unaltered. The observation of this high quality E $r_{3+}$PL spectrum at low annealing temperatures illustrates that the crystalline structure of GaN is not rendered amorphous by the ion implantation. The increase of the PL intensities of the various E $R_{3+}$sites with increasing $T_{A}$is due to the removal of competing nonradiative channels with annealing. with annealing.annealing.