ABSTRACT
The island of Korčula is one of the largest islands of the Adriatic Sea Archipelago, covered with a rich and varied Mediterranean flora. The first Greek colonists named the island Black Corfu (Corcyra Melaina), supposedly after its dark woods; lavish vegetation and pine and holm oak forests distinguish Korčula from other Dalmatian islands. The exceptional natural beauty of the island has been preserved, although its natural resources have been used intensively over many centuries. The thirteenthcentury Statute of the town and island of Korčula served to protect the island’s resources, with impacts on the landscape. This approach towards safeguarding the environment lasted for many years and is still visible in the villages, fields and forests, as well as in the town. More recently, the pressure of economic progress and modernisation is starting to have a disruptive effect on the landscape.
