Phytosociological Insights into Vegetation Shaped by Long-Term Military Use

This study presents the vegetation of a Mediterranean area in Croatia, abandoned by the military three decades ago after two centuries of use. From 2023 to 2025, 97 phytosociological relevés were taken using the Braun–Blanquet approach. Based on numerical classification, we identified seven plant associations, two subassociations, and two communities within nine floristically and ecologically distinct vegetation classes. Military presence shaped the landscape in several ways. Large parts of the peninsula remain near-natural, covered by high maquis with minimal disturbance. Plateau shooting ranges, formerly grasslands, now represent rare habitats due to ongoing succession. Within former barracks, plantings included low-maintenance species providing rapid greening and visual screening. Evergreen conifers were favored for year-round greenery, while deciduous trees and ornamental shrubs provided shade and aesthetic value. Given current neglect and ongoing successional trends, the site requires a carefully planned management program aimed at habitat restoration, control of shrub encroachment, and maintenance of open and semi-open vegetation to preserve biodiversity and landscape heterogeneity.