Background Areas of flower-rich meadows and other non-forest habitats, crucial for the survival of butterfly species of European importance, still exist in three mountain ranges: the White Carpathian (Bílé/Biele Karpaty) mountains in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Lower Carpathians (Malé Karpaty) in Slovakia, and the Považský Inovec mountains in Slovakia. The project area, which is the largest area of species-rich meadows in Central Europe, hosts very rich fauna and provides an important refuges for rare and endangered invertebrate species (especially insects and arachnids). Most of the land being targeted in the Moravian (Czech) part of the project area is privately owned and used by large agricultural holdings. However, some of it is managed by conservation associations and land trusts and some consists of small family farms. Parts are also unmanaged and subject to successional processes. On the Slovak side, most of the target area has unsettled ownership and is currently unmanaged. The target butterfly species often occur in areas encroached by shrubs and tall grasses, but the survival of viable populations depends on appropriate grassland and landscape management. Objectives The project aims to introduce, test and promote patchwork management, which is essential for the conservation of the target butterfly species. The project will contribute to halting the loss of biodiversity and strengthening the Natura 2000 network in the target area by actively protecting non-forest habitats and species of Community and national importance, by applying suitable management practices, and by maintaining and restoring these species and habitats to a favourable conservation status. The project will also propose and test new agri-environmental measures, which should enable the inclusion of currently excluded areas under the agricultural subsidy scheme (c. 900 ha affected). The project will target 10 buttterfly species (Colias myrmidone, Parnassius mnemosyne, Parnassius apollo, Maculinea arion, M. nausithous, M. teleius, M. alcon, Lycaena dispar, Eriogaster catax and Euplagia quadripunctaria) and 15 habitat types (3140, 6210, 6510, 7220, 5130, 7230, 6410, 6230, 91E0, 91G0, 9180, 9130, 9110, 91I0) of European importance. Special conservation measures will be implemented for threatened butterfly species and their meta-populations. Actions will also be undertaken to raise awareness of the conservation value of non-forest habitats and their biodiversity. Expected results: The main outcome of the project will be the restoration of grassland habitats. This will be achieved by re-introducing traditional management of non-forest habitats, namely: Patchwork mowing with heavy machinery (910 ha), light machinery (195 ha), and by hand (77 ha); Grazing (465 ha); Scrub elimination and mulching (170 ha); and The restoration of hedgerows (some 31 km). The project will also: Lease some 100 ha of unmanaged land; Purchase 2 ha for grazing; and Establish a management centre for habitats and species in the Biele Karpaty Protected Landscape Area.