Background According to a recent national assessment, the conservation status of the Annex I (EU Habitats Directive) habitat types raised bogs, alkaline fens and wet heath habitats face further deterioration in Denmark in the coming years. Their overall “poor” conservation status is also reflected in the latest EU Habitats Directive Article 17 report for Denmark, which similarly records a deterioration for the country’s calcareous fens and petrifying springs. Both assessments highlight an urgent need to address the conservation of these habitats during the current (2010-2015) planning process for the preparation of management and action plans for Natura 2000 sites in Denmark. Objectives The 'RARE NATURE' project primarily targets the restoration and expansion in southern Denmark of priority wetland habitat types: raised bogs, calcarous fens and petrifying springs; and alkaline fens, and Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix . These important national and EU wetlands are all assessed as having an “unfavourable” conservation status in Denmark, and have been identified as being a priority for nature restoration actions. Importantly, they have been evaluated as having a significant potential for recovery, in both quality and area, within the total project area of 790 ha (mainly within 11 Danish Natura 2000 sites) distributed over 18 project sub-sites. The main planned habitat restoration actions are: One-off compensation payments for 169 private landowners on 383 ha; ex-gratia compensation for (a small amount) of land purchase; Clearance of shrub, trees and forest-like vegetation on 169 ha; Hydrological restoration on 227 ha; and The establishment of grazing facilities (e.g. fencing, watering, trap gates, shelters) on 340 ha. A second objective is to support through restoring and creating new habitats the following populations of threatened Annex IV and II-listed species of the Habitats Directive: the great-crested newt (Triturus cristatus ), the agile frog (Rana dalmatina ), the frog species R. arvalis and the natterjack toad (Bufo calamita ). Special attention will also be paid to the preparation of recommendations for future management of the Annex II fen species, the yellow widelip orchid (Liparis loeselii ), which is in an “unfavourable” conservation status and severely threatened in Denmark. Expected results The project expects to obtain a “favourable” conservation status of the targeted areas of rare wetland habitats in Denmark. Specific results will include: A total of 182 ha of the core habitat types will be managed by the project and an additional 160 ha (e.g. arable land) will be converted in favour of the targeted habitat types. Specifically, the project will achieve: the management of 47 ha of existing raised bogs and development of an additional 33 ha; the management of 20 ha of existing calcareous fens and development of an additional 9 ha; the management of 6 ha of existing petrifying springs and development of an additional 2 ha; the management of 94 ha of existing alkaline fens and the development of an additional 103 ha; and the management of 15 ha of existing wet heaths and development of an additional 13 ha; Fifteen new ponds will be created and 10 ponds restored to benefit the targeted amphibian species; and An action plan for the yellow widelip orchid will be drawn up, with recommendations for future management in support of “favourable” conservation status.