Background Over the last 150 years, mining has been the predominant economic activity in the Guadiato district, along with traditional agriculture and livestock farming. Mining-related activities such as the construction of dams for water extraction and pools for mineral washing, or the redirecting of natural river-beds, have had a strong adverse impact on the River Guadiato’s environment. Additionally, the many chemical industries in the district have been releasing their waste into these waterways for decades. Urban and industrial waste is still sometimes pumped into the river without prior of treatment. In addition, pollution from the agriculture and livestock sectors has increased over recent years. The deforestation and terracing of hillsides is leading to higher erosion in the river basins, with the consequent loss of fertile soil, and the eutrophication and the silting up of the waters. Objectives The project sought to counterbalance the adverse impacts being inflicted on the river Guadiato’s environment. It had the following objectives: 1. To foster alternative, environmentally-friendly, economic activities in the district. 2. To demonstrate suitable techniques for preventing erosion. 3. To initiate a restoration process for the banks of the River Guadiato, which were highly degraded in some areas and almost without vegetation in others. 4. To raise the community’s awareness of the need to improve the river’s environment, and to encourage participation in its revival. 5. To encourage the population to enjoy using the river. 6. To create jobs and discourage emigration from rural areas. 7. To contribute to the protection and conservation of fauna and flora inhabiting the riverbanks. Results Two types of measures were undertaken to regenerate the River Guadiato’s aquatic resources: direct actions, such as the reforestation and restoration of watercourses, and indirect actions, such as educating the community on environmental protection and promoting environmentally-friendly behaviour. By keeping local organisations informed about progress, the project stimulated their interest in the river’s ecosystem and in the benefits of environmentally responsible behaviour, such as building waste-treatment plants, and drafting and implementing environmental action plans. One of the project’s most innovative measures was the application of a “green filter”. This is a very effective solution for treating wastewater in small villages where the construction of a wastewater treatment plant is not economically viable. The innovative treatment system, which implements a technique called “bed of reeds”, is extremely cost-efficient in its setting-up, running and maintenance. A second innovative measure was the application of phytoremediation to an old mine’s the dumpsite. This treatment of environmental problems through the use of plants, sought to prevent erosion and contamination, as well as restore the landscape of the dumpsite. Survival rates of 24% for arboreus plants and 35% for shrub-like plants were recorded. The project successfully achieved its objectives. The main threat foreseen to the project’s continuity is regarding the maintenance of the different restored areas. Maintenance, and especially watering during the summer, will be carried out by the local authorities, which have very limited budgets. Nevertheless, through the project’s dissemination activities and the results it has achieved, the level of local-authority commitment to the environment has increased. This is reflected in the involvement of the municipalities in the Agenda 21 programme and other initiatives related to environmental improvements.