Background Grassland habitats are considered among the most threatened ecosystems in Europe. In particular dry grasslands(included in the annex I of the Habitats directed as Festuco-Brometalia grasslands and the pseudo-steppe of Thero-Brachypodietea) are being constantly and significantly reduced, along with a large number of rare endangered species that depend on these habitats. At EU level, the population of some of these species has decreased by as much as 20-50%. According to the “European Grassland Butterfly Indicator”, the grassland butterfly population has decreased by almost 60% since 1990 and is continuing to fall. Out of a total of 436 species in Europe, 274 are dependent on dry grasslands. Objectives The RICOPRI project’s main objective was the long term conservation of two priority habitats that depend on good agro-pastoral management practices: the Festuco-Brometalia (grasslands and the Pseudo-steppe of Thero-Brachypodietea An additional objective was the conservation of the butterfly species associated with these habitats, in particular, the Eriogaster catax and Melanargia arge. The project focused on three sites in the Appennines (two located in the province of Rome and one in the province of Potenza). Best practices and demonstration actions to protect and restore these habitats and the butterfly species associated with them would be applied in three Natura Network 2000 sites. It also aimed to increase awareness among the local population and stakeholders of the importance of these habitats and their related butterfly species; to test the restoration measures specified in the two management models, “Management of Natura 2000 habitats” published by the European Commission for these habitats; and to estimate the economic value of the two habitats. Results The RICOPRI project was developed over almost 54 months from 2011-2015 and took place in three different sites of Community importance (SCIs) of the EU Natura 2000 network: two of them located in the province of Rome (“Monti Ruffi – versante sud-ovest” near the town of Cerreto Laziale, and “Monte Guadagnolo” near the town of Capranica Prenestina). The third is “Dolomiti di Pietrapertosa” near the town of Pietrapertosa (province of Potenza), inside the Gallipoli Cognato “Piccole Dolomiti Lucane” regional park. The main achievement has been the project’s contribution towards the restoration and conservation of the two targeted priority habitats related to dry grasslands, by planning, putting into practice, monitoring and disseminating a number of actions related to the implementation of Natura 2000 conservation measures. In this respect, the project also tested the two management models specified in “Management of Natura 2000 habitats” published by the European Commission for these habitats, also contributing towards the attainment of the 2020 biodiversity targets. Despite some difficulties initially encountered, which caused some delays, and thanks to a one-year prolongation, the activities developed by the project were overall successful, replicable and sustainable, producing environmental benefits. In particular, the selective removal of shrubs, the eradication of ruderal species and of invasive alien plants species allowed the recovery of the surface of colonised grasslands, contributing to their restoration, improvement and long-term conservation planning (dependent on good agro-pastoral management practices) and their related fauna species (in particular the butterfly populations). The beneficiary and partners enabled the selective removal of shrubs on about 22 ha, the eradication of ruderal species on about 6 000 sq. metres, and of invasive alien plant species on 2.5 ha to recover the surface of dry grasslands colonised by these plants. Nature-friendly engineering works were carried out on about 20 ha, to restore eroded areas belonging to the two priority habitats. In total, for the two priority dry grasslands habitats, 25 ha were recovered in the three Natura 2000 network SCIs (8 ha in Monti Ruffi, 1 000 sq. metres in Monte Guadagnolo and 17 ha in Dolomiti di Pietrapertosa). Through the three grazing plans, best agro-pastoral management practices regulate grazing on a total surface of 456 ha (155 ha in the SCI Monti Ruffi, 194 ha of the SCI Monte Guadagnolo and 107 ha in the SCI Dolomiti di Pietrapertosa). The cooperative work initiated with the local breeders could potentially guarantee the development/maintenance of grazing. The project contributed to significantly increasing public awareness about the relevant habitats/species. Dissemination actions were successfully carried out with the schools, general public and stakeholders in the three sites. A high number of communication tools (information panels, posters, pamphlets, an educational kit, comics, videos) were produced and wide dissemination of the project was carried out through the press, social networks and the project websites. The networking activities have been fruitful and the project has attracted interest/ publicity both at national and at international level. Finally, the areas recovered from detrimental invasions (about 25 ha), the wide surface affected by the grazing plans (about 374 ha from habitat *6220 and 82 ha from *6210), which can now be reasonably grazed. Given the high number of stakeholders involved and the amount of information distributed over the course of the project, it is reasonable to conclude that positive direct environmental benefits were obtained also providing economic and social benefits. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).