The EUROPARK project aims to improve the skills and capacities of various actors in protected rural areas (parks) by enabling them to acquire more specific skills for the productive and environmental needs of the areas in question.The specific objective of the project is to promote the setting-up of a permanent network of those working in parks, to develop specific project planning skills and to provide access to public grants (from the Community in particular).The project will produce an Internet site and a CD-ROM containing the results of the project, a handbook entitled Sustainable development and management of protected European areas, and training modules.The targets will first and foremost be those living or working in protected rural areas and also the public authorities and associations active in these areas.