Land rehabilitation of a limestone quarry with native forage species

The use of forage species in rehabilitation activities, for example in abandoned areas previously exploited for extraction of raw materials, could perform the dual function of rehabilitation and production. Our research concerned the rehabilitation of a limestone quarry in a Site of Community Importance (SCI).The aim of the present study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of a native-based pasture mixture in terms of seedling establishment rate, soil cover, pastoral value and carrying capacity. Two sowing rates, 12 and 21 g m -2 seeds were compared on a steep slope. The results highlighted the good performance of the seed mixture based on native species belonging to different functional groups.