Overview on the INHABIT project from the Layman's Report

With the title 'Local hydro-morphology, habitat and RBMPs: new measures to improve ecological quality in South European rivers and lakes' INHABIT(LIFE LIFE08 ENV/IT/000413) aimed at integrating infor-mation on local hydro-morphological and habitat features into practical measures to improve the relia-bility of implementation of WFD River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) in South Europe. The focus was on rivers and lakes that were scrutinized in two areas in Italy, covering a wide range of environmen-tal features and water body types. For habitat issues, the outcome of the project have complemented the implementation of Water Framework Directive river basin management plans over larger areas in Italy and, possibly, other European regions, especially in the South. INHABIT is a common project of CNR-IRSA, CNR-ISE, ARPA Piemonte and Regione Autonoma della Sardegna. This contribution is basi-cally derived from the Layman Report in order to provide to the international audience a quick and ef-fective overview on the INHABIT project