Background The lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus) is a goose species breeding in the tundra zone (low-arctic and forest) from northern Fennoscandia to eastern Siberia. Its historical range covers the whole subarctic Eurasia, but nowadays the distribution is patchy. The recent estimate of its world population is 22 000-27 000 individuals. Presently numbers of breeding pairs in the Nordic countries is 20-30 and an unknown number on the Kola Peninsula (Russia). Nowadays the majority of the world population is breeding in the central parts of Siberia. The nesting habitat is typically low-arctic open tundra of forest-tundra dominated by dwarf shrubs (e.g. Betula nana), and the typical feeding habitat in the breeding season is sedge marshes/mires around lakes. During the migration, the species prefers low growth salt marshes/coastal meadows, and natural steppes. Due to the transformation of the original staging and wintering habitats in the southern parts of the range, the main feeding habitat in many areas is today agricultural land. During the autumn migration, the Fennoscandian population has an important staging site in the northern part of Kanin Peninsula (NW arctic Russia), and here the population divides in two parts for the winter: supposedly more than 50% of the Fennoscandian species follow the ‘European migration route’ from Kanin via the Baltic States to Hungary, and further south to the wintering sites in northern Greece. Objectives The objective of the project was to improve and monitor the conservation status of the Anser erythropus at the most important breeding, staging and wintering sites along the European flyway of the critically endangered Fennoscandian breeding population. This would be quantified by halting or slowing down the negative trend of the population size at the monitoring sites, increased survival during the wintering period, an increase in the time that the goose spend in safe, managed project sites, increased awareness of hunters, farmers and land-owners about the species and it’s conservation. In the vast potential breeding grounds in the mountainous Fennoscandian tundra, the project aimed to localise the most important breeding areas, and to secure favourable conservation status of these areas. At the staging and wintering sites, the project aimed to eliminate the most important threats to the species (i.e. high mortality due to hunting and poaching, loss of original feeding and roosting habitats, and human disturbance). The project also aimed to identify further needs for conservation measures along the flyway. In general, the project aimed to put in to practice the actions defined in the international Action Plan for the species, published by the EU in 1996, and to eliminate the most important threats to the geese at the project sites. The ultimate objective of the project was to achieve a favourable conservation status of the breeding population of the Fennoscandian Anser erythropus. In the short term, the goal was to halt the population decline. Results The project was very successful. It achieved its objectives and managed to safeguard the most important breeding areas and several important staging areas in Finland, Norway, Estonia and Hungary. Problems however, remain in Greece. Satellite/GPS transmitters attached to three individuals revealed major new information on the species’ migration route from Fennoscandian breeding grounds to moulting sites of non–breeding birds in Siberia, and from there back to the wintering sites in Greece along an eastern route via Kazakhstan, southern Russia and Ukraine. Several formerly unknown important staging sites were also revealed e.g. in Lithuania and the core breeding area found in Norway. Unfortunately, one of the tagged birds was shot in Byelorussia and another was found shot in the protected area of Lake Kerkini in Greece – demonstrating that hunting (poaching) is still a serious threat to the species along the migration route. National action plans for the species were drawn up and approved for Estonia, Norway and Finland. Implementation of an action plan was also started in Norway. This included a protection plan for core breeding areas (which is ongoing), hunting of red foxes (carried out) and hunting (banned in Porsangen fjord). The preparation of an action plan for Hungary was started after the project officially ended. The restriction of hunting in the Hortobágy national park area was initiated; with a ban on hunting in autumn until December 1 (the geese leave the area in November). Restoration and site management were carried out over 70 ha of coastal meadows in Matsalu (western Estonia) including two small islets used as staging areas. These actions also benefited several other valuable birds, i.e. listed in Annex 1 of the EU Birds Directive, found in the area such as the Redshank (Tringa stagnalis) and Dunlin (Calidris alpina schinzii). Specific management actions were carried out annually in Hortobágy national park to attract staging birds to the safe areas inside the park. Other restoration works included the cultivation of some 150 fields for the benefit of the geese i.e. not harvesting part or all of the crops and managing over 200 ha of grasslands by grazing and/or management of water levels to boost fresh growth of grass for the geese in autumn, as well as filling fish ponds to optimal water levels for the birds. As a measure of the success of these actions, by the end of the project the geese remained 98% of their time in the Hortobágy in the managed areas. Public awareness campaigns were organised in Estonia, Hungary and Greece. The efforts targeted in particular hunters and farmers to promote the protection of the geese among hunters and farmers at a local and national level. These featured for example, meetings with hunters and farmers, workshops, brochures and posters, websites and articles in hunting magazines. Finally, the project team carried out monitoring of spring staging sites (in Greece, Hungary, Estonia, Finland and Norway). For all sites, except in Norway, the numbers remained stable, or were slightly increased during the project years (2005–2008). At the Valdak Marshes (Norway) the spring numbers of the geese still decreased. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).