The main focus in the BIRD project was to increase rural development in areas with attractive bird rich wetlands, nature reserves and cultural landscapes. 35 joining partners in 6 Baltic countries have localized areas where a quality secured eco tourism has good assumptions to expand. The six joining countries and numbers of partners are: Estonia (5), Finland (5), Germany (1), Latvia (2), Lithuania (9) and Sweden (13). The two Latvian partners left the project during Spring 2006.The background for the BIRD project was the decreasing possibilities to develop employment in rural areas where agriculture and forestry are in a situation of rapid technical and structural development. In such areas there is a need for complementary activities for the purpose to preserve employment, infrastructure and service. International quality eco tourism, based on rich nature and cultural values has turned out to be a good basis for rural development in other similar areas within the project countries as well as in other countries around the world.The BIRD project developed four priority issues concerning rural development in located areas. Each issue will be treated within a BIRD project Work Packages:WP1. Good sustainable management and maintenance of wetlands and cultural landscapesWP2. Spatial planning in a cross-sectoral approach with authorities, organizations, stake holders and land owners involved in the planning processWP3. Improvement of accessibility, information and marketing to promote rural tourism in located areas. Special focus on disabled.WP4. Education programmes for involved local population, entrepreneurs, schools and landowners. Achievements: A website has been developed in, www.eurowetlands.org. The new website contains BIRD related issues like management of wetlands, touristy issues and education issues. It’s also possible to find all BIRD reports here. The web site will be continuously managed also after the BIRD Project period is ended.Many activities are implemented e.g. the publishing of a Virtual Tourist Office, a “best-practice-performance guide” of outdoor installations in sensitive areas and several strategies for cross sectoral spatial planning. Preparations for a permanent installation of a “Wetland Information Centre” have been completed. Education packages have been developed and issued for essential target groups involved in rural development. Several small Scale Investments, mainly for increased accessibility, also for disabled, to valuable and sensitive nature, have been implemented, now functioning also as demo sites for further investments.BIRD representatives have joined BSR project meetings, in Rostock, Riga, Warsaw, Berlin, Malmö Groningen, Toulouse and Hallingdal, for disseminating BIRD experiences and for mutual exchange and information.