Background In Bulgarian Black Sea coastal areas, four types of priority oak habitats are facing similar conservation problems: Pannonic woods with Quercus petraea and Carpinus betulus; Pannonian woods with Quercus pubescens; Euro-Siberian steppic woods with Quercus spp; and Eastern white oak forests. The movement of people and grazing is having a negative impact on these priority habitats, while fragmentation is increasing pressures from the surrounding woodlands. The risk of fires is also high. The Batova Reka Valley protected zone and the Emine-Irakli protected zone, both situated in the Black Sea coastal area, are designated Natura 2000 sites in need of conservation and restoration actions. They contain vast areas of degraded native oak woodlands and areas of sub-continental peri-Pannonic scrub habitat that is suffering from fragmentation and pressure from the surrounding woodlands. Conservation measures are needed that tackle all habitat types in a coherent way. Separately targeting one habitat type could adversely affect another. Objectives The overall objective of the Black Sea Oak Habitats project was to ensure the long-term conservation of priority oak habitats by reforestation measures and management planning. The project planned to implement restoration measures over a total of 115 ha of target habitat. A key action would be the planting of acorns and oak seedlings as well as regeneration cuttings in devastated forestry areas. Seedlings from other tree species of local origin would also be planted. The project also planned to grow seedlings in a nursery and prepare the target soils before the acorns and two-year seedlings were planted. The beneficiary aimed to develop an Action Plan for the restoration and management of the target habitats, which would include measures to decrease the unfavourable impact of people and grazing, and reduce the risk of forest fires. It was expected that the project would also lead to an amendment to the existing Forestry Management Plan and improve its compliance with the Bulgarian Forestry Act and Natura 2000. Results The project achieved its objectives and in some aspects surpassed the set targets. The project team planted acorns and oak seedling as well as implemented different activities for the consecutive regeneration cuttings and cultivation of the seedlings. Before these actions were implemented the beneficiary collected more than 10 tonnes of oak acorns, grew seedlings in nursery and prepared the soil in those areas where sowing and planting would take place. All these activities were implemented for four species of oak trees – Quercus cerris, Quercus robur, Quercus pubescens and Quercus frainetto – and five natural habitats – Pannonic woods with sessile oak (Quercus petraea) and hornbeam Carpinus betulus; Pannonian woods with downy oaks (Quercus pubescens), Euro-Siberian steppic woods with oak Quercus spp., Eastern white oak forests and sub-continental peri-panonic scrub woodlands. Conservation measures were applied on more than 450 ha in the two project sites, Emine-Irakli and Batova River. In total, the project produced 430 000 seedlings of seven species, 30 000 more than foreseen. The species grown were the aforementioned oak species as well as raywood ash (Fraxinus oxycarpa), sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides). The project was also able to cultivate 115.6 ha of soil, 0.6 ha more than planned. Parts of this area were sown with acorns, but in order to improve survival rates, planting with seedlings then became the norm. Cultivation measures, such as thinning and clearing the non-native vegetation, were then carried out in these areas. For the areas in the project sites, the beneficiary carried out regeneration cuttings to naturally restore the habitats. During the project, the forestry institutions in Bulgaria became interested in restoring the habitats and the different measures for achieving favourable conservation status of forestry habitats. As a result, the official forestry action plans for the two target sites were amended and officially endorsed so that they incorporate long-term measures for the restoration of the project target habitats as well as measures for the already restored areas. Furthermore, the project restoration measures have good demonstration value. It was the first LIFE project targeting the restoration of forest habitats that has been implemented by the forestry authorities in Bulgaria. It has generated interest among other regional bodies of the forestry sector and as a result several project proposals have been submitted where the leading partner is the regional forestry agency. Another result of the project was the creation of jobs and the hiring local people. Most of the forestry tasks related to soil cultivation, sowing of acorns, planting of seedlings and following care of these areas were carried out by local people. Finally, the results were widely disseminated through organised planting events and presentations to different target groups, especially the younger generation. An After LIFE conservation plan aims to achieve favourable conservation status of the oak habitats along the Black Sea coastline and the spreading of the project results to other areas. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Conservation Plan (see "Read more" section).