Chrysopigi Experiment Station belongs to the Forest Research Institute, National Agricultural Research Foundation of Greece. It is located near Serres, in Macedonia, northern Greece and occupies an area of 50 ha. It is situated at 41.15⁰ north latitude, 23.2758⁰ east longitude, at an altitude of 600 m. The 16-year average precipitation and the mean annual temperature for the Experiment Station are 543 mm and 13 ⁰C, respectively. During the dry season (June - September) mean air temperature and rainfall normally have a range from 19.9 ± 1.8 to 23.5 ±1.4 ⁰C and 22 ± 28 to 39 ± 41 mm, respectively.

Vegetation cover of the area is mainly composed of kermes oak (Quercus coccifera L.), while other woody species are Carpinus orientalis Mill., Cistus incanus Rchb., Colutea arborescens L., Fraxinus ornus L. and Rubus spp. The dominant native grasses are Chrysopogon gryllus Trin., Bromus sp., Dactylis glomerata L., and Festuca valesiaca Schleich.; Centaurea, Dorycnium, Genista, Medicago, Trifolium and Vicia species make up the majority of forbs. In the Experiment Station there is also a 60-year old stand of Pinus brutia and another one of Cedrus and Abies species. In the same area seeds are produced from grass species, which are used for improvement experiments in rangelands. The Greek variety of Dactylis glomerata, named Chrysopigi, which is suitable for sub-humid ecological zones in the Mediterranean region, is produced in this area.

The Rangeland Resources Department of the Forest Research Institute and the Department of Range Science & Wildlife - Freshwater Fisheries of Aristotle University have conducted multi-disciplinary range research on different sites of the station. A small flock of goats is maintained in the station that helps conduct control grazing experiments under natural conditions; thereby the results of these experiments have practical applications. The information provided helps natural resource managers and policy-makers to formulate proper rangeland resource policy. Of particular interest is the considerable research effort devoted to ecology and management of kermes oak shrubland ecosystems. The role of woody and herbaceous fodder species is also among the research subjects. Field research of more than 10 M. Sc., Ph.D. and Professional theses has been conducted in the station premises, while three new Ph.D. are under way at present.

The research activities carried out at the Chrysopigi Experiment Station have been or are funded by EU and national projects and can be classified into four broad areas:

• Ecology, physiology, and nutritive value of kermes oak, grazing management, goat/ sheep behaviour and nutrition on shrublands, and control of the woody component in dense shrublands.
• Productivity, nutritive value, utilisation of fodder woody species, and their integration into the mediterranean production systems.
• Selection of fodder plants, development and establishment of grass and woody species, and forage improvement through conventional breeding.
• Use of prescribed burning to control pine forest wildfires, and grazing management within pine forests.

In addition, the station has served and continues to serve as a demonstration and educational area for students, extension scientists and farmers.