Mljet Online

MONTOKUC

On clear summer days after rain, when the summer bura blows over the sea, a view breaks on the open-sea islands of Lastovo and Vis in the distance, while Korčula is seen quite clearly. During summer season, when there is a greater danger of fire, the experienced fire watchman is on a round-the-clock duty in order to prevent the least chance of flames catching the vast stone pine forests and maquis.

There are two basic types of sylvan communities large areas: climazonal communities of holm oak and black ash (Orno - Quercetum ilicis H-ić, 58) and the community of Aleppo pine with an underbrush floor of maquis (Pinetum halepensis Anić 58). On a very small area there is hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia) that is typical for the Mediterranean-mountain belt on neighbouring Pelješac, and a stone pine wood (Pinetum pineae, Anić 59) at the southernmost end ot the island (Pinjevca, Saplunara).

Holm oak wood on Mljet is mostly a degraded phase of maquis, born by cutting of seedling and regenerating from tree stump. We find it mostly on the northern, shady locations. The more frequent the cutting, the smaller height of trees and the smaller wooden mass. The low wood (panjača) on the Velika Dolina and Valakija localities looks nice and can seem to be a medium wood (some trees grown from the seeds, and some from the stumps), but this appearance is mostly due to the stand conditions and the position locality has on the terrain.

Maquis is an underbrush wood comprised of evergreen (rarely deciduous) sorts caught by thorny climbers, so that it is very often impassable. Typical maquis sorts are holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) and black ash (Fraxinus ornus L.), and the accompanying sorts are mostly: lurustinus (Viburnum tinus L.), strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.), briar (Erica arborea L.), myrtle (Myrtus communis L.), phillyrea latifolia (Phillyrea latifolia L.), mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus L.), laurel (Lurus nobilis L.). The following climbers can be found in maquis: sarsaparilla (Smilax aspera L.), madder (Rubia peregrina L.), honeysuckle (Lonicera implexa Ait.), black bryony (Tamus communis L.) and evergreen rose (Rosa sempervirens L.).

Aleppo pine wood comes usually with the underbrush of maquis, and we find it on northern, shady sides. Aleppo pine is a sort that prone to occupying new grounds, and in the past it was often used for afforestation. Its seeds are light and it accepts new soil very well, especially after fire. In the NP Mljet special attention is paid to the preventive measures for fire protection.