Sustainable Actions to Enforce a River Contract Management in Central Italy

The aim of this article is to illustrate the actions for the implementation of the River Contract. This is an inclusive and voluntary tool for strategic and negotiated planning, whose main purpose is the protection and better management of water resources, the enhancement of the river ecosystem and the mitigation of flood risk, contributing to local development. In this case, the little river basin is located in central Italy. Proposing actions means being able to respond to the environmental and territorial problems of this area, integrating and coordinating existing plans and programs with the interests of the territory. These actions were defined through a participatory process involving citizens, professionals, administrators and stakeholders. The proposed actions focused on those offering “sustainable” solutions to certain critical issues of the river, such as pollution or the anthropogenic threat and the conservation of riparian habitats. These habitats, protected by the Natura 2000 network, are home to fish species of great conservation interest. Finally, flood mitigation works and measures are assessed, as flooding is becoming increasingly aggressive due to climate change and is impacting urbanised areas. All these actions were compared with sustainability goals to highlight their effectiveness in the current management of a river basin with a view to the future.