Background Under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, EU Members States are required to periodically report on the conservation status of Annex I natural habitat types and Annex II species that fall within their territory. The Finnish country report for the period 2001-2006 assessed the overall conservation status of 18 out of 19 Annex I natural habitats types in the boreal biogeographic region of Finland as being unfavourable-bad or unfavourable-inadequate (the only exception being habitat 1220). Urgent action is therefore required in order to increase the protection of nature and biodiversity in Finland. Objectives The project aims to restore structural features that are important for the maintenance of biodiversity habitats and increase the extent of the target habitats by restoring severely degraded areas. Activities will be carried out on Natura 2000 habitats where ecological characteristics are shaped by fire (fire-born habitats) or extreme solar radiation and luminosity (sunlit habitats). The project also aims to improve the conservation status of several species protected under the Habitats and Birds Directives, such as Pulsatilla patens (a nationally endangered plant species restricted to esker forests in Häme region), and Lanius collurio and Sylvia nisoria, (two birds species that will directly benefit from restoration measures targeting their breeding habitat). It will focus on 69 Natura 2000 sites throughout Finland. Expected results: A detailed restoration action plan of practical conservation actions for 44 restoration sites (511 ha); Management plans for two Natura 2000 sites (7267 ha) and fire continuum plans covering 40 000 ha for 16 project sites; Habitat restoration measures to improve the quality of Habitats Directive Annex I habitats carried out in the project’s 69 target sites; Controlled burning in 34 Natura 2000 sites (around 281 ha) leading to the restoration and extension of the Western taiga (9010) forest; Restoration of 339ha of sunlit habitats (28 sub-sites) and around 6.6 ha of Baltic sandy beaches (5 sites) through the removal of invasive alien species; Removal of trees in 18 project sites (147 ha) to facilitate other restoration actions; Creation of new habitat patches for Pulsatilla patens in seven sites (8 ha), and the dispersal of species to the newly created habitat areas; and Restored areas at one site developed into quality nesting habitats for the insectivorous birds Lanius collurio and Sylvia nisoria.