Background Like most rivers in southern Italy, the Fortore experiences heavy water flow during winter and long drought periods in summer months. The Occhito dam was built on the river in the 1950s to supply the Foggia province with water. The infrastructure had a significant impact on the river water flow, which has since often been below the minimum in stream flow (MIF). Moreover, the implementation of land reclamation schemes has resulted in the canalisation of the riverbed by means of concrete banks and other engineering works. These were carried out in order to control floods caused by the dam’s water release. The construction of the dam has also affected habitats, which are now in a critical condition due to excessive water intake, the river canalisation and excessive human pressure, such as agriculture and hunting. Objectives The aim of the project was to achieve an overall improvement in the condition of the river and to foster the sustainable use of the land. Measures would be taken to restore the threatened and degraded habitats by drawing up a management plan with the river authority, restoring the river bed and afforesting native species. The project would also encourage farmers to adopt eco-friendly practices and raise public awareness of the vital role of the river. By raising the ecological quality of the water, the project aimed to contribute to the implementation of the Water Framework Directive, which aims to achieve a ‘good status’ of river waters by 2015. Results The Fortore 2005 project did not succeed in arresting the decline in habitats along the river Fortore, the project’s main objective. Only the restoration of 1 Km of riverbanks and 10 ha of silvicultural interventions were completed as foreseen. Other achieved objectives include the approval of the management plan for the three SCIs by the regions of Puglia, Molise and Campania, the SPA enlargement in Molise and the establishment of a new SPA in Molise and Campania. But other planned actions were unsuccessful, such as the construction of a nursery for the local seedlings, which was abandoned during the LIFE project. The wetland at Costa lanterne became unsuitable for amphibians because of the actions of a local farmer, while the plantation of hedgerows was carried out on a very limited area. Furthermore, the project did not obtain data on the effectiveness of the performed interventions on the target species (Bombina variegata, Truturus carnifex, Triturus italicus, Melanocorypha calandra, Elaphe quatuorlineata, Anthus campestris, Falco naumanni, Coracias garrulus, Lanius collurio). The construction of two feeding points for raptors allowed the number of pairs of black kite (Milvus migrans) to increase, but the lack of the meat supply after the end of the project has undermined this result. The installation of bat boxes on several species (Rhinopholus hipposideros, Myotis myotis, Myotis capaccini and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) did not have an observable impact; many, in fact, were vandalised. An After-LIFE conservation plan was not drafted because of the disbanding of the beneficiary. But educational activities were carried out in schools from 2006 to 2009, reaching more than 3 000 children and engaging 165. Furthermore, a questionnaire on the project found that it was very highly appreciated. Finally, the project established ‘Fortore Habitat’ (a ‘cooperativa di servizi’), a cooperative of 13 trained environmental educators and nature guides. The regionally funded cooperative operates in across the Capitanata area in collaboration with NGOs such as WWF and LIPU.