Background Historically, forests have fulfilled many human needs. As the objectives of forest management have become more complex, management criteria need to take into account new issues, related to the less profitable practice of forestry and to the emergence of environmental forest functions. Several indicators have been proposed to assess sustainable forest management (SFM). However, detailed information on these indicators is generally lacking and their collection is currently connected to reporting to international bodies such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Furthermore, some of the indicators are of a basic character while processes in forest ecosystems are generally complex. Hence there is the need to collect data on SFM indicators and to relate them to specific forest management practices. Moreover, a link between landscape-scale ecological connections and indicators of SFM is needed, as well as between “medium-to-large” scale forest management, the surrounding landscape and intensive forest monitoring. Objectives The project aims to test and verify in the field the effectiveness of different forest management options in meeting multiple objectives (including production, protection and biodiversity). It will address these issues in different test areas, from production to protected forests, including Natura 2000 sites and priority habitats and species. Traditional management practices will be compared with new ones developed by the project. Data and policy relevant information on the impact of different forest management options on carbon cycling and the biodiversity of selected forest ecosystems will be collected, analysed and disseminated. Other important project objectives are: Evaluating carbon sequestration, structural features and the biodiversity of managed forests at the forest patch scale and landscape scale, taking into account ecological connectivity, ecosystem fragmentation and interactions with the man-made component; Assessing the impact of forest management options on selected vertebrate and invertebrate taxa and the possible limiting factors. Expected results: Datasets for the calculation of pan-European indicators related to carbon cycle/sequestration and biodiversity (Criteria 1 and 4 of SFM in Europe as set out by the Ministerial Conference of the Protection of Forests in Europe) will be obtained; Additional quantitative indicators consistent with the international conventions and European action plans will be set up; The project will define a set of “good practices” enforceable among the available forest management options; Individual and organisational awareness about multifunctional forest management will be increased.