Background Forests are of utmost importance to the Earth’s climate and biodiversity. They are make an important contribution to rural development, providing important social, economic and environmental functions. Every year, thousands of hectares of forests are damaged in the Mediterranean region by wildfires. The conditions that prevail after these fires are favourable to regeneration through the transplantation of seeds rather than natural processes. Planting is carried out in this way is limited to a few species that can be easily produced on a large scale. The result is a ‘restored’ ecosystem characterised by low biodiversity. A major problem for the large-scale production of some ecologically important forest species is the lack of efficient germination treatments that will break down seed dormancy. A second problem is the lack of suitable cultivation protocols that will lead to their successful large-scale production. Objectives The aim of this LIFE+ Biodiversity project is to enhance biodiversity during the restoration of fire-disturbed ecosystems by introducing a new technology, based on the pre-cultivation in mini-plugs using a wide range of species. The project activities will include: the collection of high-quality seed material and evaluation of the seeds’ germination potential; the development of seed germination and cultivation protocols; and the establishment of a prototype unit for the large-scale production of ecologically important forest species. The seedlings produced using the new technology will be transplanted to three study areas in Central Macedonia, where their growth will be monitored and evaluated. This system for the large-scale production of reforestation material using a wide range of species will be introduced to public forest service nurseries in Greece through training programmes and seminars for forestry staff. Expected results: The project is expected to introduce the state-of-the-art in forest nursery production for reforestation purposes to Greece. The new technology will allow large-scale production of seedlings that was not possible using conventional techniques. As well as being more cost efficient, the proposed system will contribute to the sustainable management of forest crop production through a decrease in energy, water and fertiliser needs, and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The production of high quality plants will result in improved forest restoration after fires and will contribute to increasing the biodiversity of these ecosystems.