The protection of endangered species such as otters, pond turtles and water plantain in the Ain River in southern France is the focus of a new conservation project. The LIFE Nature project aims to ensure that the river’s delicate biodiversity is not threatened by human activity. The construction of hydro-electric systems and other interventions such as dykes, bridges and river-bank works have already upset the river’s fragile ecosystem. The project aims to reconnect water channels that used to feed into the river and improve the condition of forests and grasslands along the banks of the river. Some 5 river channels have already been restored, providing an additional 2.6 km of waterway that has helped restore the river’s natural flow dynamics.