Background The Fagaras Mountains contain some of Romania's highest peaks and are surrounded by some of Europe's ecologically most valuable, unfragmented woodlands. The mountains are also the source of the Dambovita River. The upper Dambovita valley is the south-eastern part of the Natura 2000 network site “Muntii Fagaras” (ROSCI0122). The integrity of this ecosystem is threatened by uncontrolled logging, which has been occurring as a result of the restitution since 2004 of formerly nationalised forests to their private owners. Unfortunately, the site designation in 2007 has had no tangible effect on the preservation of these forests – clear-cutting has continued and all forests are under threat. The privatisation process is still under way and the new owners are keen to convert their trees into cash. There is no enforcement, not even of obligations under national law such as re-planting following clear-cutting. Aquatic and riparian ecosystems in the area have also been affected by the building of a hydro-power plant and numerous river-control structures during the 1980s. The beneficiary has been pursuing its aim of preserving and extending these wilderness areas through direct purchase of forests with the intention either to save them as virgin forests or to convert them back to wilderness. It now owns a relatively large part of the upper Dambovita valley. Objectives The project aims to restore 20 000 ha of forests inside the “Muntii Fagaras” Natura 2000 site. The target area includes four Annex I forest habitats and two Annex I fluvial habitats. Various Annex II species will benefit indirectly. The beneficiary will buy the remaining forest areas in the upper Dambovita Valley and will work to ensure their total protection within the Natura 2000 site management plan. These areas will become mountain Picea forests to alpine level with some Pinus mugo-Rhododendron myrtifolium associations in the subalpine areas and Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests with Abies alba and/or Picea abies to accelerate re-wilding processes and enhance biodiversity on the clear-felled areas. Some existing trees will be replaced by native tree species. The project will restore the original riverbank vegetation along the watercourses and rehabilitate the aquatic ecosystem of the Dambovita river basin in order to allow upstream fish migration, which has been interrupted for several decades. It will also work to reduce the negative impact of human-induced erosion, which is now causing pollution of waterways and the degradation of forest productivity through loss of topsoil. A monitoring programme will evaluate the effectiveness of restoration actions and the project will work to inform the general public about the Natura 2000 site and increase public appreciation for conservation of the habitats and species in the area. Expected results: Purchase and complete protection of 200 ha of virgin and quasi-natural forest patches in the upper Dambovita and Leresti valleys; Purchase of 400 ha and regeneration with original species on up to 200 ha of clear-felled areas and purchase of 1 000 ha of managed forests; Erosion halted on at least 10 km of tracks; Conversion of at least 400 ha of spruce plantations into more natural forests with pockets of deciduous tree species and dead wood; Reclamation of at least 100 ha of alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior in the Dambovita valley; Unobstructed upstream migration for fish on at least 17 km of watercourses above the Pecineagu lake; and Increased support for preservation of the area.