File:LED PARK FOREST MARJAN ASSIGNMENT 1 ODRLJIN STANISLAVA 1.jpg

The hill Marjan has had an interesting history of being a natural area that was devastated and re-naturalized by the citizens of Split. Because its history is so long, it is a very interesting case study in the relationship of people to nature within a town. Marjan has been a backdrop in the city’s vista from its beginnings. Prehistoric people lived in the oak forest on Marjan, as did solitary monks. For a period of time it was protected by Venetians and later exploited for timber. For many years it was a barren hill, until aristocrats decided to reforest it to serve as hunting grounds. During the socialist period, reforestation was an organized voluntary activity for groups of young people. Today it is an aged pine forest that is everyone’s favorite place to spend the weekend. Its cultural value comes from these layers of history which tell its story. Also fascinating is the future of the forest. The fact that it was re-forested almost a hundred years ago means that the trees are now very old, soon it will be time to introduce young trees and plants. The method and choices used, along with better knowledge of botany and ecology today can completely shape this space into a rich, new city commons in which the history of people intervening in nature can be continued in a positive way.