Establishment of species-rich vegetation on reclaimed limestone quarry faces in Derbyshire, UK Original Research Article

Landform replication attempts to create species-rich calcareous grassland ecosystems on disused limestone quarry faces. This is important because: (i) similar semi-natural communities are often at risk from agriculture and other development; and (ii) although there are many abandoned quarries of nature conservation importance, modern extraction processes increase the time required for natural colonisation. Quarry faces were blasted selectively to produce several landforms, including scree slopes which were hydroseeded with an appropriate seed mix based on local daleside communities. The vegetation communities established after 2 years on three such areas are compared with those of a natural daleside and seven disused quarries (40–85 years since abandonment). It is encouraging for the restoration programme that the vegetation communities on the landform replications are more closely allied to the natural dalesides than to the disused quarries. However, rabbit grazing appears to influence the species composition of the landform replications and the development of cover. The implications for the management of these sites are discussed.