Abandoned quarries can become new habitats, study shows

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A 2020 review by researchers Katia Talento, Miguel Amado and José Carlos Kullberg, published in the journal Land, examines how abandoned quarries can gain ecological value over time. Once rock extraction ends, natural processes such as water accumulation and seed dispersal can create new habitats in these industrial pits. The study argues that abandoned quarries should not be seen merely as damaged landscapes but as sites with potential for biodiversity, recreation and sustainable reuse, provided they are managed with a recovery plan from the outset.

The transformation, however, depends on each site's characteristics. Some quarries form patchworks of microenvironments with steep rock faces and aquatic zones, while others require active restoration. The researchers caution that nature rarely restores the original landscape; instead, it creates something new. They propose a framework for recovery based on biodiversity, geodiversity and sustainability, challenging the view that industrial scars must always be hidden.