Background The Italian Forestry Corps is responsible for the management of an important network of State Natural Reserves, which in many cases are included, or include, Natura 2000 sites. These protected areas are scattered over the Italian peninsula from the Alps to Calabria and host many habitats of EU importance such as mountain forests, lowland woodlands, Mediterranean forests and scrubland and coastal lagoons. Many species of high naturalistic interest live in these territories, and among them, wolves, brown bears and lynxes. These sites have been historically managed with a pure forestry approach. Today, considering the objective of the Habitats Directive, conservation of species and habitats of EU interest, need a change of approach that will be faced also through this LIFE project. The main threats are the abandonment of traditional agricultural and livestock breeding activities, with a consequent loss of habitat diversity, the lack of specific actions to manage the rarest and more endangered habitats and species and the increasing tourist pressure. Presence of alien species is a further threat that needs to be urgently faced. Objectives The main goal of this wide ranging and ambitious project was to guarantee the long term, satisfactory conservation status of the biodiversity heritage of 34 Natura 2000 sites managed by the CFS. The actions would be tailored according to the specific environmental conditions of the sites. The ecological functionality of forest and the conservation of the related biological communities would be significantly improved by means of thinning, planting of native species and diversification of the structure of the woods. Actions would also include interventions in lowland forest aimed at the elimination of invasive alien species and the opening of clearings in canals and ponds overgrown by reed beds in the coastal lagoons. The idea was that fauna would benefit from the improved conditions of the habitats, whose management was at the core of this project. In particular, predators would benefit from the restoration of trophic chains based on the increased productivity of pastures. Bears would benefit from the planting of native fruit trees and the pruning of the existing ones. Bats would profit from the improved environmental conditions for their reproduction, resulting from the establishment of breeding sites. In four areas, a description of the environmental features and the monitoring of environmental parameters would enable the drawing up of specific management plans, two of which will be Natura 2000 management plans. Field actions would be accompanied by education and public awareness campaigns supported by the distribution of informative material. Results This LIFE Nature project was one of the biggest projects implemented in Italy: the works were carried out over 30 Natura 2000 sites distributed across nine regions. The coordination aspects were particularly successful and almost all the expected results were achieved. Several aquatic habitats, terrestrial habitats and fauna species of EU importance for conservation – e.g. bears, lynx and the beetle, (Rosalia alpina) – were the targeted objectives of non-recurring and recurring management. Concerning the restoration and conservation of the habitats – various practical works were carried out, which almost all concluded positively. These included: Mowing on 17.23 ha and sowing (with a mixture of Leguminosae and Graminacea) to restore pasture and grassland habitats; Tree cutting (Picea abies, Salix caprea, Larix decidua, Fagus sylvatica, Acer pseudoplatanus, Pinus sylvestris, P. mughus: Sorbus aria, Betula alba, Laburnum anagyroides, Alnus viridis) to control the invasion of alpine grasslands on 10.18 ha; Restoration of “naturalness” in the Vincheto di Cellarda SCI on 14 ha. This was achieved through: the removal and girdling of alien species (mainly spruce, Ailanthus and false acacia plants); the establishment of new clearings, as well as of 60 "habitat trees" hosting artificial nests for small birds and owls, including the little owl (Athene noctua) and tawny owl (Strix aluco) directly within firs that were not eradicated or girdled; and new plantations of seedlings of Quercus peduncolata (460), Carpinus betulus (80), Alnus glutinosa, Alnus incana, Salix sp., Virbunum lantana (250), Quercus robur (30), Betula pendula(30), Cornus mas (125), Euonimus europaeus (250), Fraxinus excelsior (290), Prunus padus (200), Crataegus monogyna (250). In spring 2008, the following seedlings were planted: Cornus mas (125), Acer campestre (52), Fraxinus excelsior (20), Quercus robur (26), Sorbus aucuparia (26); Improvement of wetland habitats through cleaning of 25 000 m2 of water ponds and small water channel beds, the restoration of 600 m2 of channels and water ponds and the establishment of 12 000 m2 of new wetlands; Shrub cutting to conserve the meadows habitats; Silvicultural works included thinning carried out on 18. 5 ha, the restoration of former habitat on 3.5 ha, girdling on 2.5 ha, pruning on 11 ha and non selective cuts - "Sfolli" on 10 ha. New plantations were created on 23 ha using a total of 22 000 trees and 3 800 shrubs. Alien species were eradicated on 3 ha in the Mediterranean pine forests of Alto Adriatico. Other silvicultural actions were the conversion to high forest carried out on 48.73 ha, thinning on 49.73 ha, plantations of 2 400 young (4 year-old) trees of Fraxinus ornus, Acer pseudoplatanus, Sorbus aria, Sorbus aucuparia, Abies albain pure beech forests. Thinning was also carried out on 10.58 ha in natural and artificial Pinus nigra stands; Removal of Phragmites at lago di Lesina: the total area free from the weeds was 30 ha.Concerning the targeted species, various actions included: The installation of artificial structures (e.g. 100 bat boxes) and the establishment of new tree habitats for bats in the Mediterranean pine forests of Alto Adriatico; The preparation of habitat-trees for saproxylic fauna using "chablis" techniques: a total of 70 plants in Guadine Pradaccio and 11 plants in Agoraie Moggetto were treated over a total area of 140 cubic metres; The establishment of micro-habitats for Picidae and invertebrates involving 12 conifer plants in Guadine Pradaccio and 4 in Agoraie Moggetto. In addition, micro-habitats for bats were established: 48 in Guadine Pradaccio and eight in Agoraie Moggetto; The planting of local old varieties of apple, pears and cherries in the Tarvisio area to increase the food availability for bears; An authorised feeding point for large carnivores was supplied with carcasses (e.g. roe deer, deer, chamois, cows, pigs); Monitoring of bears and lynx was carried out in four SCIs in Friuli. Unfortunately, three photo-traps were stolen and three more broke down, which obviously reduced the potential impact of the monitoring.All the produced informative and scientific material is available in the website of the project. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).