Background The ancient valleys of the Gauja River and its tributaries, along with their nearby erosion relief belt, occupy the central part of The Gauja National Park (Gauja NP). The relief forms of the ancient Gauja River valley are unique within the whole East Baltic region. The Gauja River valley is distinguished as a united geographic region. The length of the ancient valley has deepened into the bedrock of the Devonian Period. A large number of sandstone and dolomite outcrops provide habitats that distinguish the Gauja NP from other protected areas in Latvia. As more than half of the Gauja NP area is occupied by forests and those forests are located in ancient valleys and on riverbanks, the territory includes large areas of broadleaved forests on slopes and alluvial forests of high nature conservation value. However, there are several challenges and developing problems that, if left unresolved, may jeopardise the achievement of nature conservation goals within the Gauja NP. Forests are ecosystems with a long regeneration cycle, demanding long-term planning for restoration and management measures. Fragmented and discontinued approaches to habitat restoration are often at the core of insufficient results of restoration measures. Moreover, considerable financial resources and innovative approaches are needed in order to obtain comprehensive and actual data on large areas of forest habitats representing complex structures and even more complex terrain structures (wide river valley, interconnected systems of tributaries, slopes, screes and ravines). Objectives The project’s main objective is to establish a long-term forest habitat restoration and management programme for selected priority species and habitat types, to test and demonstrate innovative habitat inventory methods and implement the best practice habitat restoration measures in the Gauja NP Natura 2000 site. Secondary objectives are: To draft a long-term forest habitat restoration and management programme for selected priority species and habitat types; To demonstrate and promote innovative habitat restoration and management measures aiming at improving the conservation status of forest habitats; To adapt airborne remote sensing technologies for forest habitat distribution evaluation and conservation status assessment as well as for restoration and management planning; and To increase the knowledge and awareness of nature conservation specialists, local municipalities and local residents on restoration and management measures for forest habitats of EU importance. Expected results: Obtaining of inventory data on the distribution and conservation status of the selected priority forest habitats within the Gauja NP; Preparation of digital maps of the Gauja NP and updating of the Natura 2000 ste data sheet; Drafting of a long-term long-term restoration and management programme and habitat restoration and management plan for the target forest habitat; Implementation of the following restoration / management activities: hydrological restoration of 130-170 ha of bog woodland habitat; management of 280-300 ha of western taiga boreal forest; and management of 60-80 ha of broad-leaved forest; Use of the project areas as demonstration sites of efficient restoration and management measures for nature conservation experts, private land owners and other stakeholders; and Dissemination activities, including: project leaflets, a printed report on restoration, four short films, a website, and five seminars and experience exchange trips for nature conservation specialists, representatives from local municipalities and local people.