The Ricover project aims to define and implement (through pilot interventions) strategies and methodologies for the protection and conservation of rivers in Southwestern Europe. To this end, the following must be taken into account: natural resources and biodiversity, priority habitats and Natura 2000 sites conservation, the importance of rivers as ecological corridors and their contribution to the natural water cycle, the need for biologically diverse rivers, and their economic value.

The following results are expected from the project:

- Identification of degraded river margins and characterization of the causes of that degradation in the Guadiana and Ter river basins, as well as in the Algarve streams river basin.

- Identification of exotic invasive species on the upper reaches of the above mentioned river basins and studying of effective measures to control them.

- Promotion of fluvial ecosystem biodiversity in the territories covered by the Ricover Project.

- Verification and promotion of the applicability and effectiveness of soil bioengineering techniques in the SUDOE region.

- Verification of the impact of the implementation of biodiversity conservation techniques, promoting adaptive management of each executed activity (thus contributing to the successful implementation of SUDOE level techniques).

- Incorporation of ecological concepts in rehabilitation of rivers in all types of projects, from traditional civil engineering to new environmental conservation projects.

- Sensibilization of the authorities and industry about the need to expedite the recovery of degraded riparian areas, taking into account the hydrological, geomorphological and biogeographical caractheristics of rivers and species.

- Establishement of a permanent cooperation between natural resources management projects and entities working in the sector.

- Increasing of the number of projects in ecological restoration of rivers.

The products that the Ricover Project aims to achieve are:

- Elaboration of a study of identification and characterization of degraded areas in the Guadiana and Ribeiras do Algarve river basins.

- Mapping of the regional management plans in the areas that have been recovered.

- Implementation of multidisciplinary courses for professionals, on nursery production of riparian plant species.

- Preparation of the Algarve river corridor restoration plan.

- Through common methodologies, development of an innovative approach for the management and restoration of degraded riverbanks and for the preservation of biodiversity. The resulting approach should be usefull to other SUDOE geographical areas with similar problems. This is intended to ensure that all future regional strategies, and their interventions, are made following these principles.

- Implementation of pilot river restoration projects, using soil bioengineering techniques, exotic vegetation cleanings and plantation of riparian native species, in areas of the rivers Guadiana (Extremadura, Spain), Ter (Catalonia, Spain) and Odelouca (Algarve, Portugal).

- Technical and scientific reports on the restoration actions carried out, invasive species identification, techniques, impacts on riverbank biodiversity, etc...

- Preparation of a river management Good Practice Manual, where will be included the innovative methodologies and techniques developed within the Ricover Project, as well as the ways to disseminate them in the SUDOE space.