Visocica western view

Velebit - Nov 17, 2003 8:49 pm - Hasn't voted

Thank You Mark for the comment. I didn't even know or I forgot that Zadar contributed to the battle. As it was under Venetian rule then probably some galleys started from my city or were built here. There is no beech in or around Zadar because climate is too warm for it. Maybe they used some other types of trees. Beech grows on Velebit where is much colder. On the coastal side of the mountain it generally appears at 700m, but somewhere even lower. We were taught for some time that Venetians not only depleted but totally devastated forests of Velebit closer to sea. Wood was used to built galleys and as support pillars for Venice. But later explorations proved that there was never such high forest, suitable to built galleys or support pillars, by the coast of Velebit because of climate and very rough rocky terrain. Today first step of Velebit is turning gradually greener. Species mostly represented are hornbeam, types of maple, oak, ash but those are mostly quite low trees (up to 10 meters) or even bushes because are exposed to extreme Bura wind. But only 50 years ago this was bare rocky desert as all available wood was cut down by domestics for heating or was eaten by numerous goats and sheep. High beech forests are unapproachable even today. There is no way Venetians could transport those forest to the coast because terrain of first step is hard even for walking. Roads over Velebit which could take Venetians to beech forests were built in 19th century by Austrian empire.