Background The Bratislava capital region and its surrounding area is characterised by a high diversity of natural conditions supporting a high number of habitats and species of European importance. The cross-border region of Slovakia, Austria and Hungary, which includes valuable Natura 2000 sites, represents a strategically important region whose natural heritage should be preserved trans-nationally. Within the project site, the Pannonian and the Alpine bio-geographical regions meet and there are important lothic and lenthic aquatic habitats as well as diverse man-made habitats and pristine natural forest. A total of 60 species listed within Annex II of the Habitats Directive occur within the project site – six flora species of plants (two of which occur in Slovakia only in this project site) and 54 species of fauna. These valuable habitats face threats from the abandonment of traditional land-use practices, and a high density of unregulated tourists and day-trippers. Objectives The main objective of this transnational nature project is to establish a functional network of Natura 2000 areas in the trilateral border region close to Bratislava (Slovakia) and to secure a favourable conservation status for the habitats of European interest found there. Restoration and management activities will be carried out on 16 Natura 2000 sites in Slovakia and in one site in Hungary. A wide range of Annex I habitats of the Habitats Directive (forest, grasslands, wetlands and rocky) is targeted. Various Annex II species could also benefit from the conservation actions (e.g. amphibians, fish, dragonflies, beetles, butterflies and crayfish). The project intends to plan and implement conservation measures for five different habitat groups: Forest habitats: forest management planning, removal of invasive species, planting of native trees, preservation of individual trees from logging; Forest steppe habitats: removal of trees and shrubs, mulching, mowing and grazing; Grassland habitats: removal of trees and shrubs, mulching, mowing, sowing of seeds, reopening of field road and grazing; Wetland habitats: removal of bank reinforcements, dredging of backwaters, removal of sediments and waste, reconfiguration of artificial barriers; and Rocky habitats and caves: removal of trees and shrubs, access regulation. Some measures are cross-cutting, as they concern more than one habitat group: the drafting of management plans for four sites, species inventories, land purchase and the hiring of two rangers to reduce negative impacts by visitors. Expected results: Forest habitats will be restored on an area of 460 ha (420 ha by removal of invasive species, 40 ha by planting of new forests of natural species). Some 9 000 valuable old trees will be marked and preserved from felling; New forest management plans will be implemented, securing sustainable forest management over an area of 15 000 ha; Forest steppe habitats will be restored on 115 ha; Grassland habitats will be restored on 150 ha; Grazing as traditional habitat management will be established on 185 ha; Water and wetland habitats will be restored at six localities (3 000 m of river branches re-connected and/or restored, decrease of human disturbance will be achieved on 12 ha); Rocky habitats and caves will be targeted by restoration and protection measures on their whole area within the project site (1.67 ha); A fully operational and sustainable Natura 2000 management centre will be created in Bratislava; Detrimental and illegal human actions will be reported to responsible authorities. This will lead to a reduction in the significant disturbance of sensitive species on 550 ha; Various specific conservation and information actions will be organised (targeting e.g. illegal car access, illegal camping, littering); and 250 m of trails will be improved and fences, arbours, benches and information panels will be installed in the Devinska Kobyla Natura 2000 site.