By combining technical assessment with community-based engagement, the project will identify, map and prioritise obsolete river barriers in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, facilitating their future removal and the restoration of ecological connectivity.
The project takes place in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park in southern Italy, a UNESCO-recognised landscape that hosts ecologically valuable river systems including the Alento, Bussento, Calore Lucano, Lambro, Mingardo and several minor coastal streams.
These rivers traverse Natura 2000 sites and support vulnerable species such as Anguilla anguilla, Lampetra planeri, Alburnus albidus and the critically endangered Salmo ghigii. Despite generally good ecological quality, the continuity of these waterways is compromised by numerous small, largely undocumented historical barriers, remnants of past agricultural and hydraulic interventions. The surrounding area is predominantly rural, shaped by traditional agriculture and seasonal tourism, but affected by demographic decline.
Improving river connectivity is essential not only for biodiversity recovery but also for reinforcing the ecological resilience of a landscape where aquatic systems are central to identity, livelihoods and cultural heritage.
| Project status | Live |
|---|---|
| Project type | Barrier identification and prioritisation |
| Country | Italy |
| River | Alento, Bussento, Calore Lucano, Lambro, Mingardo |
| Focal species | Anguilla anguilla, Lampetra planeri, Salmo ghigii, Lutra lutra, Bombina pachypus, Austropotamobius pallipes, Salamandrina tergiditata |
| Organisation | CIRF - Centro Italiano per la Riqualificazione Fluviale (Italian Centre for River Restoration) |
| Website | cirf.org |
Small barriers in southern Italy rarely receive coordinated assessment, and existing public funding focuses on water quality and flood protection rather than removal efforts. As a result, the Cilento river network remains fragmented by obsolete structures whose ecological impact, ownership and feasibility of removal are poorly understood. Local communities and the National Park authority report a marked decline in freshwater fauna, underscoring the need for targeted action.
This project will fill that gap by producing the first systematic mapping and evaluation of these barriers. It also serves as a demonstration project, showing institutions and the public how nature-based river restoration can increase flood resilience and support biodiversity recovery. Through participatory engagement, events and accessible outreach, the project will help rebuild public connection and stewardship toward rivers, strengthening social and institutional readiness for future dam removals.
The project aims to create the technical, social and institutional foundations needed to enable future barrier removals in the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. Its objectives are to:
systematically map and document small obsolete barriers through GIS analysis and extensive fieldwork;
evaluate their ecological impact, fish passability, geomorphological context and removal feasibility;
develop a prioritisation framework to identify barriers offering the greatest ecological benefit at the lowest cost;
engage authorities, communities and local associations through outreach and participatory activities that build awareness and consensus.
Together, these outputs will provide a clear, actionable roadmap for barrier removal and catchment-scale ecological restoration, while strengthening local capacity and long-term stewardship for free-flowing rivers.
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