The aim of this research is to reconstruct the invasion history of sites by using core sampling and analysing the installation date of tree species. A total of 107 sample sites, abandoned since 0 to 45 years ago and distributed in eight valleys of central Corsica, were studied. Results show a high (r2 = 0.86 P < 0.0001) correlation between the abandonment date derived from historic aerial photographs and the age of the oldest woody specimen in the site. For recent abandonment periods, the oldest woody species present in sample plots were grazing tolerant shrubs (short-lived species). When the abandonment period exceeded 20 years, the oldest species in sample plots were long-lived tree species. The use of category (short or long-lived species) and age of oldest woody species of sites allow to create a quantitative estimation of abandonment period available without old aerial photographs. This new chronological variable is relevant for studying intermediate (one to several decades) periods of abandonment in secondary succession processes. The use of such variable allows the analysis of succession of vegetal communities or the establishment of the dynamical response curves of species. © 2000 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS