Background In Italy, recycling and energy recovery are constrained by a lack of industrial recycling companies, awareness of the issues, and suitable collection systems. The Pontine Plain (Agro Pontino) is a vaste area ‘reclaimed’ from the marshes and characterised by unplanned urban development and intensive agricultural practice. This environmental situation has led to severe water pollution. The Province’s analysis of local point and diffuse discharges has highlighted the critical situation for hydrological resources and in ecologically sensitive areas, such as the Pontine coastal lakes and the Circeo National Park. Objectives The REWETLAND project aimed to demonstrate an integrated strategy for a more sustainable use of water resources in the district of the Pontine Plain, through the launch of a water management initiative that creates synergies between institutions and enhances decision sharing and participation. Interventions were planned on the whole Agro Pontino, taking into consideration the entire network of drainage channels (2 200 km). The ultimate objective was to set up an integrated Environmental Regeneration Programme for the implementation of constructed wetlands, incorporating widespread biofiltering techniques along the reclaimed canal network, in order to both reduce water pollutants and increase biodiversity. Results The REWETLAND project worked to integrate specific sustainable water management objectives with more general environmental enhancement objectives. It did this through two main activities: the implementation of four pilot studies to demonstrate natural water purification and water management systems and the drafting of an Environmental Regeneration Programme (Action Plan). Preparatory research activities preceded these main actions and included studies into the environmental status of the Pontine Plain, feasibility studies for the pilot water purification systems, and the creation of basic GIS database layers. The large datasets and environmental studies created represent unique information that was previously unavailable in this area of the Lazio Region, which will inform future policy implementation. The four pilot actions involved the building of artificial or constructed wetlands and demonstrating water management techniques, in particular: 1) a constructed wetland in the Circeo Natural Park, for purifying the waters coming from agricultural and urban sources, utilising reeds, rushes and other wetland plants, whose roots host bacterial colonies able to reduce pollutants (nutrients and pesticides); 2) a linear park in the town of Marina di Latina, integrating purification functions with leisure activities; 3) natural buffer strips along the reclamation canals, providing functions of both water purification and erosion control; and 4) testing and dissemination of good agricultural practices in a 150 ha wine farm (Casale del Giglio), comprising measures for controlling surface water runoff. The environmental reclamation activities were conducted using a strong participatory approach. The sharing of decisions with all stakeholders (e.g. institutions, public and private bodies, farmers and citizens), and inter-institutional collaborations for planning and implementing the interventions, were deemed fundamental to ensuring their effectiveness and for achieving sustainability goals. This successful methodological approach helped to create governance mechanisms involving all local and regional agencies relevant for the management of local water resources. The Environmental Regeneration Programme comprises an Action Plan, which defines the activities necessary for the achievement of its objectives, a set of guidelines for its implementation, and project sheets containing operational examples. It has undergone a Strategic Environmental Assessment procedure (SEA). The SEA process ensured the involvement of the regional authorities and, for this reason, the project outputs are likely to inform the new regional River Basin Management Plan. The Action Plan is the first of its kind in the Lazio Region. A wide participatory process accompanied its drafting, with numerous discussion meetings involving the public and local stakeholders, which raised awareness of the water management problems in the area. It also contains actions intended to achieve several long-term socio-economic benefits, particularly for the local farming sector. The Environmental Regeneration Programme and its accompanying guidelines provide a river restoration tool directly linked to the application of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). Dissemination actions were planned throughout the project to facilitate the achievement of the technical actions through the Environmental Regeneration Programme, often targeted at specific groups. Activities relating to the publically-accessible pilot areas included school and general guided visits. The project partners published a series of brochures and a book. All the dissemination actions were supported through the project website, social media, a GeoBlog and other channels. As the pilot interventions were only completed at the very end of the project, the monitoring of their efficacy will be part of the after-LIFE activities, with monitoring being an institutional task of the coordinating beneficiary, the Province of Latina. The methodology proposed by the project could be replicated in similar situations in Europe, for example, with non-point source pollution from agriculture in modified or artificial water bodies, particularly in the Mediterranean Basin. The project also saw the creation of jobs in the local context of Latina Province. In the project lifetime, 10 temporary contracts were activated and 23 consultancy companies, suppliers and construction companies and 13 external experts. For the after-LIFE, the Province has hired one expert to ensure the harmonisation and homogenisation of the data collected within the project, making it suitable for policy makers. Moreover, experts in the monitoring of water quality parameters and in the maintenance of the pilot projects have been hired for maintaining the services for at least one year after the end of the project. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (see "Read more" section).