Background The area on the boundary between the regions of Emilia-Romagna and Marche is characterised by karstic phenomena which have given rise to a system of interconnected caves. It is an environment rich in biodiversity, thanks to the numerous species of vertebrates present, and with a well-preserved rural and natural landscape. The site is particularly important on account of the presence of communities of bats of various species, including six of Community importance. Their feeding areas are in the surroundings, made up of arid grasslands and riverine thickets. Conversion of this land to arable farming and erosion are, however, reducing the parts where bats can find suitable living conditions. The draining of a semi-natural pond made matters worse for them because they used it for drinking water. Some species are suffering from the loss of suitable cavities for shelter and breeding. Objectives The project aimed to expand earlier management activities for bats carried out by the Reserve administration to other areas inside the pSCI. The planned actions included acquiring land to extend the protected area, forestry restoration work, re-establishment of a semi-natural pond and the creation of sites suitable for bats to rest and reproduce through the installation of nest boxes and the creation of suitable cavities in existing constructions. Better management of meadowland through controlled grazing by local breeds of sheep and cattle would favour species which were the prey of bats. These measures were to be accompanied by a publicity campaign in schools and the production and distribution of information materials designed to increase knowledge of the relationship between bats and the rural habitats in which they live. Results The project achieved all its objectives. The beneficiary and the partner worked in good coordination and succeeded in completing the actions without delays and major problems. The only exception was the experimental controlled grazing which could not be implemented because neither feasible nor cost-effective due to logistic reasons. The beneficiary replaced this action with periodical mowing and sowing, thus reaching same expected results in terms of increase of grasslands and reduction of shrubs. The town of Gemmano has now set up a small visiting center that could attract visitors from the highly frequented Romagna coast and the Nature 2000 site could become an alternative or complimentary attraction for tourism and consequently contribute to the economic development of the area. The main results achieved by the project were: improvement of the conservation status of the bat species, through the increase of foraging areas (including EU interest habitats) in the surroundings of the Onferno cave and through the installation of artificial resting structures in the buildings; increase of bat population, which has grown from an estimated 3.500 specimens to 6.000; two more species of EU importance have been recorded in the area (the Natterer’s bat Myotis nattereri and the Geoffroy’s bat Myotis emarginatus); improvement of the knowledge on the ecology of the bats present in the pSCI, in particular on their daily movements for foraging activity, which allows a better focusing of the management activities; enlargement of the Natura 2000 site surface by 50%, from 193 ha to 274 ha; increase of surfaces of the two EU interest habitats present: *9180 Tilio-Acerion ravine forests, from 3,3 ha to 4,3 ha and 6210 semi-natural dry grasslands and scrubland facies on calcareous substrates (Festuco-Brometalia)(*important orchid sites), from 12,3 ha to 39,2 ha; restoration of the only reproductive site for two amphibians, listed in annex II of Habitats Directive (Bombina variegata and Triturus carnifex). A parallel captive breeding of the yellow bellied toad was created (not paid by LIFE) so as to guarantee the survival of the species; increase of local population awareness of the importance of bats; a protocol for the cultivation of autochthonous plant species has been elaborated in order to guarantee a correct restoration of the habitats. The project had an incentive effect for the Gemmano municipality, partner of the project and member of the management board of the Natura 2000 site: after the conclusion of the LIFE Nature project, the municipality has paid for and approved a management plan of the Natura 2000 site. The project contributed also to spread among local people the conservation value of bats and their possible role as vehicle of economic activities, linked to the implementation of field actions and of awareness raising initiatives. The works relative to the priority habitat *9180 Tilio-Acerion ravine forests led to a drastic reduction of the false acacia and to the creation of dead wood, which favours not only the leaf nosed bats (Rhinolophus spp.) but also forest insects of EU importance (i.e. Cerambyx cerdo).