Background The habitats and associated species on the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark are vulnerable and under threat. For example, the latest assessment of the conservation status of the Annex I designated Laesoe habitat types, found that eight were in a ‘less favourable’ conservation status and all the designated species were considered threatened. There are a number of reasons for this, the most important being a lack of a coherent and integrated land management. This is primarily due to the very fragmented structure of land ownership, with 336 individual owners of more than 1 700 individual plots. Other reasons include: - A lack of appropriate grazing by livestock; - Overgrowth with woody species (both native and non native); - The spread of alien invasive species (Japanese rose and cord grass); - Inappropriate hydrology (in some areas); and - Predation on breeding meadow birds. Objectives The project’s overall objective is to restore birdlife and Laesoe habitats of EU importance (i.e. listed in the annexes of the Birds and Habitats Directive). Specific objectives include: -The establishment of a sustainable grazing system i.e. targeting an improvement in the conservation status of several Annex I-listed habitats, namely; coastal habitats, dunes, wetlands and grasslands; -To secure the favourable conservation status of several important breeding bird species: Dunlin (Baltic subspecies), Calidris alpina schinzii Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) Wood sandpiper (Tringa glareola) Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) Little tern [Sterna (Sternula) albifrons]; -To control invasive alien plant species: Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa) Cord grass (Spartina anglica) Exotic tree species, e.g., dwarf mountain-pine (Pinus mugo), Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), some other coniferous species and also black cherry (Prunus serotina); -To improve the feeding condition of designated migratory bird species: Dunlin (Calidris alpina alpina) Avocet (Recurvirostra avosetta) Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) Dark-bellied brent goose (Branta bernicla bernicla). Expected results: Approx. 1 700 ha of new enclosures and 1 500 ha of existing enclosures containing habitats in a stable condition, and managed by grazing; Enlargement of the areas of habitat type 4010 by 15 ha, 4030 by 35 ha and 6230*, 6410 and 7230 by more than 1 ha each; A stable or increasing population of breeding Dunlin (schinzii), with at least 25 pairs in the project site; Enlargement of the 2010 breeding area and / or colonisation or recolonisation of one more sub-areas concerning Dunlin; Stable or increasing populations of breeding Avocet, with at least 250 pairs; Arctic tern, with at least 800 pairs; and little tern, with at least 30 pairs; An increase in breeding success by the control of invasive cord grass and Japanese rose, thereby securing nesting areas; Japanese rose cleared from 24 ha, all scrub removed from the SCIs (sites of Community importance according to the Habitats Directive) and seedlings to be found only in less than 5% of the area at the end of the project; Cord grass controlled on 15 ha and only occurring in new stands, small enough to be controlled using a spade (uprooting); Exotic tree species cleared from 78 ha areas containing the 10 targeted habitat types, and from neighboring areas to prevent recolonisation; The population of resting migratory birds will reach the following maximum numbers: o Dunlin - 45 000 individuals o Bar-tailed godwit - 4 000 individuals o Dark bellied brent goose -1 500 individuals.