Background The Valle Santa and Valle Campotto area is an important wetland situated in the intensively cultivated Emilia-Romagna plain. Although a man-made wetland, artificially created in the early 1900s, it became the habitat for a wide variety of animal and plant species associated with the constant presence of water. The site, located in the Po Delta Regional Park, was therefore declared a Special Protection Area for birds and has been proposed as a site of Community importance under the Habitats Directive. In addition to extensive reedbeds and bodies of standing water, the site features wet woodlands, including stands of oak, elm and ash, and galleries of white willow and poplar. Subatlantic xerocline grasslands, a habitat of Community interest that is increasingly rare and under threat, have been preserved along the embankments. The bird species include the bittern, the ferruginous duck, the cormorant and the squacco heron. The main risks to the site are the poor water exchange, causing harmful anoxia phenomena, and the massive presence of non-native plant and animal species, including coypu and some species of fish and crustaceans, seriously disturbing the balance of the ecosystem. Unfortunately, the species present an unfavourable conservation status as a result of the reduced level of wetland vegetation diversity and also from inappropriate human activities. Objectives The overall objective of the project is to restore the ecological balance of the site. To that end, water exchange will be improved by dredging the channels in the wetlands and reactivating a sluice gate to promote water circulation therein. The presence of non-native animal species will be reduced by appropriate control measures, grassland habitats will be restored, and the structure of the wetland vegetation will be diversified in order to favour native plant and animal species. Environmental characteristics will be studied and environmental values monitored in order to assess the effects of the project actions and to define a management plan for the area. In addition, facilities to reduce the disturbance to wildlife caused by visitors will be set up. The direct site management activities will be backed up by public education and awareness campaigns. Results The project managed to achieve the large majority of its envisaged objectives, such as the adoption of the site management plan focusing on the regulation of human activities and specially the proper management of humid lawns. Project actions included: - the restoration and monitoring of water courses and permanent wetlands, - a wide set of forestry interventions aimed at increasing local biodiversity (including a nursery and an elimination of poplar areas), - eradication and control of alien animal species, especially alien fish and invertebrate species, and the control of the invasive coypu (Myocastor coypus), - restoration of hydraulic structures, - re-naturalisation of 2 ha of agricultural plots, - an exhaustive monitoring programme of the fauna and flora and ecological characteristics of the project area, - water quality monitoring. Furthermore, the project implemented an awareness-raising campaign that included the realisation of guided visits, the production and distribution of leaflets and a website.