Background The project targets the priority habitat type of Community Interest 91Е0*: Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinusexcelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae). Even though this habitat is found all over Bulgaria, its total area accounts for only 0.5% of the country’s overall forest area. These marginal and riparaian forests create unique conditions that control and influence the transfer of energy, nutrients and sediments between the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Due to their accessibility and/or proximity to settlements, however, these riparian forests have experienced frequent disturbance by human impact, resulting in a continuous decrease of the habitat area. In recent decades, they have suffered from a wide range of detrimental actions including: clear fellings; transformation into arable lands or hybrid plantations for intensive production of timber; cleaning/correction of riverbeds; and infrastructure projects or activities (such as the construction of small hydropower plants and the extraction of inert materials). Such long-term adverse human impacts lead to degradation of the priority habiat and negative changes in its structure, composition, stability and functionality. No real direct conservation activities have targeted this priority habitat to date in the project sites. According to the National Protected Areas Act of Bulgaria, several protected areas are located within or adjacent to the project sites, which preserve riparian forests, but none of these areas has a management plan. Objectives The overall objective of the project is improve the conservation status of the priority habitat 91E0*: Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae), through activities in two Bulgarian sites of Community importance (SCI) These goals will be achieved by directly restoring and improving the quality of habitat type 91E0* in the two SCIs by applying a range of techniques and testing alternative forestry methods. The project also aims to improve the knowledge base and experience for the restoration and management of this habitat by compiling a manual, as well as building the capacities of the EFA, WWF and two of its regional directorates. Public awareness will also be increased, reaching out to local groups within the project area to secure support for the conservation of this target habitat. Expected results: Restoration of 50. 2 ha of habitat 91E0* restored,with improved quality in two SCIs; Planting of 63 000 saplings of local tree species in 24.7 ha of the two SCIs; Removal of exotic species over 25.5 ha of the two SCIs; Higher levels of capacity and competence among stakeholders regarding restoration, management and maintenance of Bulgaria’s riparian forests; and Enhanced public awareness by reaching directly 10 000 persons and involving at least 80 persons (pupils and teachers) in the project through various outreach activities and communication tools.