Background The river Lippe is the northernmost tributary of the river Rhine from the East. It runs along the southern edge of the Westphalian river basin. Between the mostly agricultural area of the Münsterland in the north and the industrial centres in the southwest, the river Lippe acts as a connection axis between the biotopes of the Niederrhein in the West, via the Teutoburger Wald and the Eggegebirge to the river Weser in the East. The environmental/ nature significance of this connection is shown in a number of designated sites of Community interest (SCIs), in which the Lippe floodplain and the river Lippe are protected by the EU to a large degree (i.e., habitats and species within the proposed sites are protected by the Habitats Directive). As a consequence both of hydraulic engineering works to make the river easier to navigate and of intensive agricultural use, such designated sites need support and development measures in order to meet their protective objectives in a sustainable way. Objectives The overall project objective is to preserve and enhance the conservation status in four sub-areas of the Lippe floodplain between Hangfort and Hamm (SCI) – areas where as yet, no ecological modifications have been carried out. The project will aim to improve the connection between the river and its floodplain in order to support the development of typical alluvial and river habitats. Specific actions will include: Improving the connection between the floodplain and the river; Increasing the frequency of flooding; Adjusting the water balance to nature-orientated conditions; Developing the habitat types within the floodplain and in the river; Changing to less intensive farming methods.