Background Val Vestino and Corno della Marogna are adjoining proposed Sites of Community Importance, on the mountain slopes of lake Garda, in northern Italy. A previous LIFE project was completed there successfully in 2001. The sites represent a macrohabitat of transition between alpine and submediterranean areas. They have also been proposed by Lombardy region for designation as a Special Protection Area, in order to protect numerous species listed in the Birds Directive, which breed in the area or use it as ecological corridor. Access to the area is difficult and this partly explains the drastic reduction in farming activity, which has caused a deterioration of pasture habitats. These have been invaded and become overgrown by surrounding forest, leading to loss of biodiversity and reduction of ecological corridors for the fauna. Objectives The beneficiary aimed to continue and develop actions started in the earlier LIFE project by maintaining and restoring grasslands in the two SCIs (Valvestino IT 2070021 and Corno della Marogna IT 2070022) located in an area covering over 8 000 ha of the Alto Garda Bresciano Park. Mowing and controlled grazing was to be carried out in new sites, while selected felling would continue to improve forest habitats. This was also intended to benefit local fauna. Restoration of 10 water troughs was planned in order to increase the presence of deer, amphibians and invertebrates. Sites suitable for the priority plant species Saxifraga tombeanesis, an endemic plant living on cliffs, would be extended by removal of tree coverage. A restocking programme of the white-clawed crayfish, Austropotamobius pallipes, was to be carried out, after assessing the existing population, in order to halt its decline. Extensive monitoring of fauna and flora in the area would be undertaken in order to complete a Geographic Information System database. Awareness raising activities would be directed at local residents and the project also aimed to work with the Alto Garda Bresciano regional park to create 25 new jobs during the project. Results The project achieved all its ambitious objectives in a highly satisfactory manner. Good project management also allowed additional and unforeseen objectives to be achieved. Key results include: Removal of invasive plants and re-moulding of ecotones over 14.2 ha; Grazing with sheep and donkey across 30 ha; Conservation activities on 33.2 ha of the forest habitat 91K0; Eleven drinking pools were constructed and 25 existing pools were restored; Forest coverage was opened for Saxifraga tombeanensis in four sites and a database, with descriptive sheets of all Saxifraga tombeanensis sites (11 new sites and 10 confirmed ones), was elaborated; Breeding techniques for Austropotamobius pallipes were improved and 610 young crayfish were released in nature; A wooden hut for fauna monitoring was built and an electronic monitoring network for the fauna was installed; An information and interpretation centre was restored; Dissemination tools of very good quality were produced; and A didactic project with local schools was carried out. These results have made important contributions to increasing biodiversity within the two SCIS. Grasslands habitats (6170-6210-6230-6510-6520) and the forest habitat 91K0 were successfully managed and project work with Saxifraga tombeanensis has already had a positive impact on flowers and fruit production. Analysis of fauna around pools identified four butterflies (Coenonympha oedippus, Lopinga achine, Maculinea arion, Parnassius mnemosyne) that are included in the Habitat Directive. The presence of predators (Lynx lynx, Ursus arctos, Aquila crisaetus, etc) and locally threatened species (Bonasa bonasia, Tetrao tetrix, Tetrao urugallus, Alectoris graeca) was also encouraged. The beneficiary’s commitment to collaborate with local farmers and hunters has been underlined as a key element of the project’s success. Fauna monitoring methodologies and data collection techniques defined during the project have been mainstreamed by the beneficiary and will facilitate ongoing conservation activities at the two SCIS.