The primary motivation of this project is to achieve the aims of the Natura 2000 habitat network and the Water Framework Directive. The final contribution of the EU member states to the Natura 2000 network depends on the number of types, the extension and distribution of habitat types, as well as on the number, extension and the population size of species found in the country´s territory. All member states must compile a so-called national list on its areas of community significance. Moreover, the monitoring and assessment of the nature conservation situation is an obligation included in directives. One of the main aims of this project is to compile the national lists and to establish the principles of a monitoring system.The objectives and regulations of the Water Framework Directive embrace the entire water policy. As a part of this, it conceptualises environmental objectives among which probably the most important is to achieve a good ecological status by 2015. As that of all watercourses, the biological status of the Ipoly Valley has been considerably changed by the impact of mankind´s presence. In order to survey the impacts of environmental loads and to have them abolished permanently, the sources of contaminants of anthropogenic in origin affecting given watercourses and interventions hydro-morphologic in origin have to be defined and having their impacts explored are required. As the Ipoly River is a cross-border water-course, the determination and abolishment of the sources of contaminants can only be implemented by cooperation between the countries involved. Achievements: The primary motivation of this project was to achieve the aims of the Natura 2000 habitat network and the Water Framework Directive. The global objective of the project was the long term preservation of the body of water, the wetlands and the natural values of the Ipoly/Ipeľ river basin on the territory of Slovakia and Hungary for posterity. The aim of the project was also to deepen the previously developed cooperation between the two national parks and to raise awareness through trainings an publications.