Evaluation of forage mixtures for environmental restoration of a clay quarry in central Italy.

In areas interested by extractive activities it is important to recover the previous natural ecosystems with the aims of maintaining the biodiversity and reducing the visual impact of quarries. Objective of this work was to evaluate different vegetal material to restore a clay quarry site. In a randomised block design four mixtures were evaluated in a biennial trial in comparison with areas left to natural evolution. Data collection concerned periodical evaluation of ground cover and of botanical composition by means of linear analysis according to Daget and Poissonet. Ground cover was always higher in the four mixtures compared with areas left to natural evolution. Sown species dominated the swards and thus they could create some interference to the natural recolonisation of the canopy by species belonging to native flora.