Semi-arid environments are strongly limited by water and nutrients, which hinders their recovery after anthropogenic disturbances. Application of compost and irrigation can improve soil fertility and enhance vegetation growth during the restoration of these environments. However, these restoration techniques may also favor the establishment of opportunistic communities and arrest natural succession. Mid and long-term assessments (>10 years) of the improvements in soil conditions and water availability after ecological restoration are scarce, although this is particularly important given the slow dynamics characterizing these environments. We assessed the effect of two levels of irrigation and compost addition (full-factorial design) in a limestone quarry under semi-arid conditions after a 13 years-period. These treatments were applied in addition to topsoiling, hydroseeding and plantation of woody species in the entire study area.highlights the need for mid-and long-term monitoring programs to properly assess the effectiveness of restoration actions.